Angel Investigations, We Help the Hopeless REDUX
by Sare K
Summary: A story I began over five years ago and never finished. The series continued post NFA with old and new characters from both Buffy and Angel. It's been a labor of love for a very long time.
1. The Oracle

I do not own the Angel franchise or the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise or any characters connected to it

Thousands of demons came rushing at them all at once. For the first time since his return from Hell Angel felt that there was absolutely no hope. While taking on the dragon he saw Gunn fall to something large and covered in scales. Spike too had fallen moments before in a shower of exploding ashes. Angel saw Illyria holding her own with her super-human strength, but there seemed to be no end to the rain of blows and slashes that fell upon her. He turned around just in time to see a stake being thrust into his chest. The last thing Angel saw before darkness claimed him was a young girl. She wasn't hiding, as he would have suspected. She was in battle stance, ready to fight. She wasn't afraid of the horror. She stood calmly, determined to fight. And then all went white...

Angel found himself in a white room, not unlike the one in Wolfram and Hart. He was trying to figure out what was going on when he saw a figure approaching. It was a woman who he had not seen since her death five years earlier. She was the Oracle. The spokeswoman for the Powers that Be that Doyle had taken him to see what seemed like an eternity ago.

"You seem tired, Champion," she said wisely.

"Confused," Angel replied. "Why am I here?"

"You are not to ask of your destiny, Champion," the Oracle replied. "Was it not predicted that you would achieve Shanshu when the time came?" Angel looked grim, but determined.

"I lost my faith in prophecies a long time ago." The Oracle turned her back to him with a swish of her robe. "Pity, and there was still a chance." Angel vamped out momentarily. "What?" he asked apprehensively. The Oracle smirked.

"Now you're interested? She asked bemusedly. "Well you should know for a fact that there's someone up there who likes you, because you've been given a second chance at atonement." Angel looked even more confused.

"Cordelia?" The Oracle didn't reply as to who his "friend" was. Instead she turned to face him.

"The Powers that Be did not predict the events that occurred following the birth of your son," she said wearily. "The unfortunate possession and death of your seer was unforeseen. The Powers are giving you a chance to put things as they should be. You shall have your hotel, your allies and your chance returned to you-" Angel cut her off.

"Then it will be as if all this never happened?" he asked apprehensively. "Yes," the Oracle replied coldly. "You shall not have the memories that you were left with, and to the world outside it shall be as if none of this had ever happened." Angel looked as though he might speak, but thought better of it. "The unnecessary dead shall be resurrected. Your Watcher, your librarian, and your Empath shall be returned." Angel again looked as if he would raise a question.

"And as for your son," she continued, "he shall keep the life you have given him. He will still know you, but he will keep the life that you risked everything to give him. As for your seer, she remains dead." Angel looked angry.

"Why?" he asked. "Why does the heart of our group remain dead?" For a brief moment the Oracle looked sympathetic, then she resumed her cold look. "For all the reasons that she stated to you," she said. "Cordelia remains dead because her time in this reality is done. Given events that passed, she cannot continue to go on in your reality. You will, however receive help." The Oracle suddenly looked rather businesslike.

"And now," she said, "it is time for events to be corrected." And before Angel could protest reality stopped.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

See previous disclaimer.

Angel blinked as he removed his mug of blood from the microwave. For a moment it seemed as though something was wrong. He shook off that feeling and looked up as Wesley entered the room. The former Watcher looked a bit weary, but nonetheless apprehensive at his employer's expression.

"Are you doing all right?" he asked. "You seemed rather silent at the funeral." Angel said nothing, but continued to stare into his mug. Wesley continued to look wary. "I know that it's difficult," he continued. "And I know that the fact that they never found Cordelia's body…" He trailed off. He stood there with his hands in his pockets rather absentmindedly. Finally Wesley came forward.

"Gunn got a call," he said. "Something about a bunch of vampires nesting near a residential area." He stared at Angel, waiting for a response. Finally Angel looked up. "Ok," he said. "Let's go."

Angel Investigations came across and alley lit only by a broken streetlight. Fred and Lorne went in one direction and Wesley and Gunn went another. Angel went directly into the alley. He could smell a variety of human bloods, probably a slaughter in the apartments above. His heart sank. He was too late. Suddenly a piercing scream rent the still Los Angeles night air. It brought the others t the alley where Angel was looking at the windows, trying to find the right one. He found a fire escape and started climbing. He passed by several lit windows with dead and mangled bodies inside. Two floors above him came cries of "Somebody help me!" and even more strangely, "Ignus incende!" He bolted up to the window and saw a girl of about eighteen fighting off four rather large vampires. He saw the girl swing a baseball bat at one of them, knocking him down. She ran to a nearby room and slammed the door. Angel ran to the corresponding window and saw the girl moving a desk against the door. This wouldn't have looked odd if she hadn't been moving the desk telekinetically. By this time Gunn and Fred had caught up with him. The girl saw them and looked scared. Gunn broke the window.

"We can help you!" Fred said. The girl looked a bit suspicious but consented. "Come in," she said. Facing Fred she said, "Tell me you're the vampire slayer." Fred shook her head. "No," she said. "We're Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless." Angel flinched at Cordelia's old greeting. He was snapped out of his thoughts of her at the look of both confusion and horror that crept on the face of the girl in front of her. She wasn't bad looking. Small, with long, wavy dark red hair with purple streaks. Her dark eyes had a hint of green, but these eyes were blazing with fury. "Angelus," she whispered quietly. "You're Angelus aren't you?!" Her whispers had escalated into screams. When Angel nodded she continued. "You're evil!" she screamed. "You killed her. Without pity. Without mercy. Just broke her neck like she was garbage. Was it fun to kill my family?" Angel stared at the girl's pale face, now shining with tears. Fred stepped toward the girl and put a comforting arm around her. The girl flinched but didn't force her away.

"Angel has a soul," Fred said. "We help people. We came to fight off the vampires that killed the people in your building." The girl stopped crying and looked up at the five people in front of her, for Wesley and Lorne had joined them. "They killed my mother," she said. "I'll believe you for now, but I still don't trust you. Angel nodded.

"Well then," Gunn said. "Let's go kick vamp ass.

The vampires outside the door had been trying to get through and couldn't believe their eyes when the door opened. Their eyes widened at the sight of Angel and his crew, but it was too late. Gunn took on two, kicking one hard and staking the other. The kicked one ran straight into Fred who promptly staked him. A third vampire met his dusty demise at the end of Wesley's crossbow and Lorne, though not much of a fighter, held his own dusting another. Angel took out two more, not thinking about the girl until she screamed "Ignus incende!" Everyone turned and saw her in the corner. Hovering over her in a pouncing position was the final vampire, who had been reduced to a fireball that disintegrated into ash. Angel walked over to the girl and helped her to her feet.

"Now Miss Calendar," he began but the girl cut him off. "Osbourne," she said flatly. "My name is Kira Osbourne." Angel looked sympathetically at Kira whose eyes were directed at a mangled woman on the floor. "Kira," he said. "I think it would be best if we got you out of here." Kira nodded in agreement. She motioned toward her mother. "What about her?" Wesley chose that moment to step forward and speak.

"Do you have family you can go to?" he asked. "A father? An aunt?" She shook her head. "Nope," she said. "My father's dead, not that he'd want me if he wasn't. My brother's currently unreachable and the gypsies don't want me." Angel contemplated this and said, "Go get your valuables. Clothes. Anything you don't want to leave behind. We'll bury your mother. Join us." Kira looked slightly dumbfounded. "You're a vampire," she said. "What do you care? Oh, right. The soul. But what do you mean by 'joining' you?" Lorne chose that moment to speak.

"Well, sweetiepie," he said, "you've got a choice: you can come with us where there's food and shelter and explanations, or you can stay here." Kira nodded and walked out of her room. A couple of minutes later she exited carrying a backpack and a couple of other things. She followed Angel and company out of the apartment, and shut the door.

Back at the Hyperion Connor was pacing. He felt bad about lying to his human parents about his whereabouts, but he knew they wouldn't understand. He smiled inwardly at this odd relationship he had with his vampiric biological father. Odd how a mixture of two upbringings could have produced a well-balanced individual. He was still reflecting on this when he heard the hotel doors open. Angel entered looking tired, closely followed by a girl about a year or so younger than Connor himself. She was small with dark hair. She was pretty with the streaks sticking out of her red hair. She was almost as pale as Angel and had a distinctly Eastern European look to her, but not entirely. Her eyes were her most noticeable feature. They seemed to glow beneath the curtain of her hair. They were dark brown with a hint of green and they seemed to radiate a sense of knowledge that seemed beyond Connor. The girl noticed his scrutiny and called him on it.

"Hello?" she waved her hand in front of his face. "You awake?" Connor blinked and looked embarrassed. Angel cleared his throat. "That's my son, Connor," he said. At her look he added, "Long story. Connor, this is Kira Osbourne." The two teenagers nodded in greeting. "Connor?" Angel said sounding tired, "can you show Kira to a room?" The boy nodded and went up the stairs followed by a still- nervous Kira. The two ascended silently and Connor opened a door in the hall. The room wasn't small with its own bathroom and a large bed.

"I'll be down the hall if you need anything," Connor said. Kira stopped him as he was closing the door. "Should I trust them?" she asked. Connor nodded. "More than anyone else." Connor shut the door and retreated down the stairs. Kira settled down, taking her boots off and went into a restless slumber.

In Angel's office the group was debating what to do with their young guest.

"She's a witch," Wesley said.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Gunn said sarcastically.

"She seems honest," Fred said.

"She's a gypsy," Wesley countered.

"ENOUGH!" Angel said. They fell silent. "I trust her," he said. "Not completely, but enough." Their bickering was broken by a sharp, piercing scream that came from upstairs. They dashed up the stairs to the floor Connor had taken Kira to. Connor met them from inside one door. Kira lay on the bed, seeming asleep. Angel looked at his son questioningly.

"I heard her scream," Connor explained. "I came in through the window." He was interrupted by Kira crying out in her sleep.

"No!" she screamed pleadingly. "Don't kill her! BUFFY!!"

Angel gaped in shock.


	3. Chapter 3

-I don't own anyone except for Kira

There was nothing Kira could do. He was killing her. The Master. Kira watched in horror as the sixteen year old slayer fell face first into a pool of water. Before she could react she was transported from the sunken church in a flash of blinding white light. She arrived into a strange plane of blue light filled with shadows and mist. Out of the misty blue three figures appeared. The first had girly blonde hair and looked rather bemused. The second had long, straight, dark blonde hair, a rather sweet face, and a worried expression. It was the third that caught Kira's eye. She was older than the others with shoulder-length dark brown hair and eyes that rivaled Kira's in their darkness. This woman smiled at Kira warmly.

"Aunt Jenny?" Kira breathed in disbelief. Jenny Calendar nodded. Kira looked in confusion at the other two. The kind-faced one said, "I'm Tara" rather shyly and the other said, "I'm Anya." Jenny noticed Kira's confusion.

"You're wondering what just happened?" she asked. Kira nodded. "Why am I here?" Anya stepped forward. "This is a plane between dimensions," she explained. "This is the only place where the souls of the dead and living can interact." Kira still looked confused.

"We need to prepare you sweetie," Tara said. "Prepare me for what?" Kira asked indignantly. Jenny sighed. "Prepare you for your destiny Kira. You need to know what happened before you accept your purpose." She looked sympathetic. "You've been given a charge from the Powers That Be." Kira looked mad.

"What?!" she asked. "Why?" Tara looked impatient, a rarity for her. "Because you're the only one who can," she said sadly. "You've been chosen because of your abilities to be Angel's eyes into the mystical world. We're here to show you what has happened up until now." Kira stepped forward.

"Ok," she said. "I'm in."

Three hours later Angel was getting worried. Kira still hadn't woken up. Fred had brought in a tape recorder and had recorded nearly everything she said. Angel, Wesley, and Connor wouldn't leave her, but Fred, Gunn, and Lorne had retreated to the lobby.

"What do you think's going on?" Fred asked. "Seems to me sweetcheeks," Lorne replied, "that our Gypsy guest is reliving the last eight years of the life of Angel and the slayer." He turned when he saw Connor coming down the stairs.

"How is she?" Gunn asked. "Unchanged," was Connor's somber reply. "She's actually started singing." The trio on the sofa looked confused. "Singing?" Connor nodded. "Dad thinks it's a musical demon of the underworld-"

"And that's just what everyone needs, a singing demon."

Everyone turned to face the stranger who had just spoken. He was rather short, with spiked red hair, pale skin, and green eyes. He had what looked like some sort of talisman on his wrist and a sort of "I could care less" appearance to his clothes. Gunn was the first to speak.

"Can we help you?" The stranger shook his head. "Are you looking for someone?" Fred asked. He nodded. "Know where I can find Angel?" He looked upstairs listening to the faint sounds of singing.

"He's upstairs," Connor said. "There's a girl upstairs reliving the lives of him and the slayer."

"Buffy?" the stranger asked. "She's seeing Buffy? Who is she?" Lorne chose that moment to speak.

"Half-Gypsy. I think she said her name's Kira Os-" he trailed off as the stranger ran up the stairs. He burst in just as Kira began another song.

"I lived my life in shadow," Kira sang. "Never the sun on my face. It didn't seem so sad though, I figured that was my place."

"Kira," the stranger breathed. Angel and Wesley turned and saw a familiar face. "Oz?" Angel asked. "What are you doing here?" Oz walked toward the unconscious girl and took her hand.

"What happened to her?" he asked. Angel looked confused. "We're trying to figure that out," he said. "We're not sure yet. How do you know her?" Oz too looked puzzled.

"She's my sister," he answered after a pause. "My half-sister." Angel looked surprised. "No one ever said anything about her in Sunnydale," Wesley said. "That's because no one knew about her," Oz replied. "My parents split up when I was little and for a while my dad was married to her mom. They split and my parents remarried."

Angel took all this in all the time watching the seemingly sleeping girl. Yes, there was a sort of resemblance in their facial features, and he had recognized the green in the eyes.

In the past that she was visiting Kira was afraid. She was very rarely actually scared, but now she was reaching her end of her view of the past. She'd felt that her journey was not yet over and was surprised when she appeared on the alternate plane facing Jenny, Anya, and Tara once more.

"So you've seen much," Jenny said grimly. "Now it's time for you to receive your destiny." Kira looked a little hesitant, but stepped toward her ghostly aunt. "I'm ready for anything," she said rather shakily. Jenny smiled a rather sad smile before she spoke rather formally.

"Your destiny lies within the very gifts of our Elderwomen: the second sight. You are to be Angel's eyes to the outside world. You are to see and feel the pain and terror of the hopeless you help. It's going to hurt. Are you ready?" Kira nodded, though she looked a bit ill.

Immediately she was back in the cave where the Master was slowly draining the life out of Buffy. Next she saw Jenny herself running only to be stopped and killed by Angelus. She saw Giles climb the stairs to discover her slain aunt's body. Next she saw the scene of a girl, possibly a slayer, fall prey to a pale and beautiful vampire's claws. Before her eyes the scene disintegrated into Buffy and Angel kissing most passionately. Angel's look of shock broke Kira's heart as Buffy ran him through and sent him to Hell. Next came the vision of Oz transform into a werewolf and launch himself at a wolf about to kill a terrified Willow. She saw a young man delivering a heart-wrenching kiss to Cordelia before leaping to his death at the mercy of a machine. She saw Buffy run to her mother who lay dead on a sofa. She saw Tara with a bloody hole in her chest. The visions coming faster she saw girls: scores of them roughly her own age. One was murdered by a monstrous looking vampire, another hung from a ceiling. She saw a preacher poking out a man's eye. Xander's eye. She saw the girls fight and be cut down. She saw Anya sliced diagonally by what seemed like a monk with no eyes. Finally, as if in slow motion, she saw Buffy leap off a tower into a portal of mystical energy. A thousand voices swam through her head like a raging flood of words:

"Your shirt..."

"Too bad we'll never know if this is a face you can learn to love."

"Live for me."

"You killed a man."

"I don't care."

"Little Miss Moffett counting down from 7-3-0."

"I didn't realize I would fall in love with you."

"The only thing anyone can do is run."

"The good fight, yeah? Never know until you've been tested. I get that now."

"You think you know. What you are. You haven't even begun."

Kira's eyes popped open and she sat up with a start screaming. She screamed until the pain she seemed to be in subsided. Before anyone could ask her what had happened she had let the room. She ran out of the hotel as fast as her legs would carry her. She ran for what seemed like an eternity before she came up to one building. In her vision it had turned to smoldering ashes but here it was : a new apartment complex. She walked through the door some careless occupant had left open. She walked mechanically up the stairs and down a hall. When she reached a door, she knocked, knowing what to expect on the other side. The door opened.

"I think you owe me an explanation," Kira said.

Looking back at her was Cordelia Chase.


	4. Chapter 4

I own none of the characters created by Joss Whedon. I just like to play with their back stories.

Angel looked at the open door Kira had left behind. He turned to Wesley.

"That look familiar?" he asked. Wesley nodded. "Exactly like-"

"Cordelia, I know," Angel replied. "So she's a seer," Wesley said. "This complicates things. And I wonder what that whole dreaming thing was about."

"I don't think it was a dream," said Oz. "I think it was a message."

"But a message from whom?"

Kira walked into Cordelia's simply furnished apartment apprehensively. She had come not quite knowing who would answer the door, but still knowing all the questions she would ask. She was not surprised to see Cordelia's face. And yet she sat on a sofa that would not have looked out of place in Ikea. Cordelia simply sat in front of her with a knowledgeable expression on her face.

"They came," she said. "Didn't they?" Kira nodded. "Why me?" she asked. Cordelia sighed wearily and she suddenly looked much older than her twenty-five years. "Because you were the only one with the mental capacity," she replied. "And because I can't go on any longer." Kira looked questioningly.

"Will they make me part demon?" she asked. Cordelia shook her head. She looked almost unrecognizable from the vision Kira had just experienced. Her hair was much shorter and held back in a simple clip. From Kira's untrained eyes her clothes looked simple and inexpensive. She wore no makeup. Of all the people Angel had worked with, this girl had clearly suffered the most.

Cordelia caught Kira's scrutiny and said, "Well you try having a designer wardrobe on a seer's pension." Her laugh was small, but it radiated a flicker of the old Cordelia, before her youth had been ripped away by one kiss. As Kira rose to leave Cordelia stopped her. The look on her face was grim with a shadow of heartache hanging over her.

"They can never know," she said simply. Kira nodded and left.

A silver sedan drove silently along the dangerous L.A. streets.

"Welcome home," the driver muttered to herself. She pushed her blonde hair away from her eyes and flipped on the radio. Immediately some 80's dance tune hit the speakers. She shut them off quickly. Too many memories. Ahead of her on the sidewalk was a girl of around eighteen. She was walking rather quickly, but appeared to be lost. The driver pulled over next to the lone teenager and stuck her head out the window.

"Lost?" she asked. The girl looked as if she was trying to make up her mind. She shook her head, then sheepishly nodded. The driver said, "If you just tell me where you need to go, I can give you directions." The girl seemed to contemplate this before speaking. "I'm trying to get to the Hyperion Hotel. Know where that is?" The driver was dumbfounded. The Hyperion? The only people that went there were looking for-

"Yeah I know where that is," she said. "I can give you a lift if you're desperate." The girl nodded and got in. As she drove the driver stuck out her hand. "Kate Lockely," she said. "Kira Osbourne," the girl replied. "And yes, I'm looking for Angel." At Kate's look she continued. "I'm Angel's seer. I saw you in one of my visions."

"Ah," Kate said. "Hope it wasn't anything bad." Kira shook her head.

"Just a memory."

Back at Angel Investigations Angel, Wesley, Oz, and Connor were listening to the tapes of Kira talking and singing in her sleep. For the older three it had been somewhat like listening to a recording of their lives. Wesley started the next tape and Tara's words through Kira's voice poured out:

"Wish I could trust that it was just this once, but I must do what I must. I can't adjust to this disgust, we're done, and I just wish I could stay." Oz looked grim. "When I spoke to Giles he told me Willow had messed with Tara's memory," he said. "I think this is where she found out."

"Yeah," said Kira from the doorway. "It broke her heart." Oz rose and pulled his sister into a slightly protective hug. "Where did you go?" asked Wesley. "Around," Kira replied. "Listen Angel. If the huge vision-headache thing didn't ring any bells for you I'm you're new seer. I'm Cordelia's replacement." Angel didn't look too pleased at that and Kira continued.

"You need a seer. You know that." Angel nodded. "Why you?" he asked. Kira sighed. "Because I'm the only one who can." At that moment a vision hit her. Her head snapped back and her fist hit the wall in some futile attempt to dull the pain. When it subsided she was shaking hard.

"Local club," she gasped. "Girl. She's getting attacked." She grabbed the nearest pen and paper and wrote down the address. "Go," she said. Angel hesitated. Then, with Wesley and Connor following, he left. Kira sat down wearily next to Oz.

"So," she began, then stopped. An awkward silence followed, then both tried to speak. Kira paused, allowing her often absent and monosyllabic brother to speak. "I came back to help Angel," he said. Kira nodded. "I figured you wouldn't be able to stay anywhere near Willow for too long." Oz nodded in agreement. After a moment Kira looked at him grinning.

"So how was Nepal?"

Angel, Wesley, and Connor found that their destination was a local club called the Urban Underground. Connor checked the alley. It was a typical case: girl getting attacked by vampire. Stupid kid, Connor thought. He calmly walked over and tapped the vamp on the shoulder. He turned around, glaring at Connor.

"Do you mind?" he asked. Connor responded by staking the vamp outright. Stupid kid, he thought. Even more stupid vampire. The girl was sitting on the ground shivering. Connor bent down and helped her to her feet.

"You ok?" he asked. The girl nodded, too frightened to speak. The two went to the club, the girl departing toward the bar, Connor off in search of Angel. He found him scoping out the dance floor in the shadows. Typical. He snuck up behind him and tapped. Angel jumped.

"Lurk much?" he asked. Connor laughed. "I learned fromm the master." He continued. "I found the vamp. Staked him. I think we can go back now." Angel nodded and went to find Wesley, who was trying not to hit on a girl who had definitely had a few too many and was WAY too young for him. Connor went out and returned to the hotel.

When they returned to the hotel Oz was sitting in the lobby recounting his Sunnydale days with Fred, Gunn, and Lorne.

"Where's Kira," Connor asked. Oz pointed upstairs. "She's trying to get a little shuteye," Lorne said. Fred sat up rather excitedly. "Charles and I were doing some research," she said, "and there are records of seers having massive visions in the forms of dreams." Gunn continued. "It's how she was given her power. Since there was no epic kiss to transfer the ability, she got dreams." Angel nodded.

"And she's really who she claims to be?" Wesley asked. Oz nodded. "Yeah, I knew who she was all along," he said. "I knew her connection to Ms. Calendar, but I didn't know the Gypsy part until..." Angel nodded. "Got it."

Angel Investigations sat in silence, not knowing that with the addition of this young witch there would be more weirdness still to come.


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own anything except that which comes from my twisted head.

Slowly and mechanically the sun set over Los Angeles like a fiery orange disk. As the streetlights began to come on two people were visible. A girl and a boy, how typical, how sweet. But this pair was different. Silently they walked toward what looked to be a large warehouse with music and blaring lights coming from it. The Urban Underground. It had only opened a couple of months before but it had truly become the place to be if you were young and broke and liked loud music. Its darkness also gave sanctuary and personal snack bar to the local undead.

The pair paid their fee and entered, the girl going toward the bar, the guy scoping the dance floor, waiting for his chance. The bartender was about to ask for an ID when the girl ordered a harmless Shirley Temple. At a tap on her shoulder the girl turned around. In front of her stood a guy of her own age with shaggy dark hair and dark blue eyes.

"Jamie," the girl said. "Hi." The boy grinned and kissed the girl on the cheek in a friendly gesture. "Good to see you Kira." Kira hit him, but not hard. "And that was for?" Jamie asked.

"That was for kissing me, idiot," she said. Kira turned back to her drink. "What?" Jamie said. "No hug?" Kira turned back.. "Jamie," she said in an exasperated tone, "what do you want?" Jamie sat down next to her and ordered a drink. "Is it a crime to say hello? Kira shook her head. "Idiot." Jamie turned and noticed something.

"There's a guy checking you out," he said. Kira turned. "That's Connor," she said. "I need to go." Jamie caught her arm. "Can we talk later?" Kira didn't reply.

Kira had been working with Angel Investigations for about a month and incidents such as this were normal. She and Connor went to the alley where a gang of vampires waited. The fight started instantaneously. Kira took on a couple staking one and setting another on fire with a spell. Connor took on three being grateful for his super human strength. They kept on coming. What started as simply five turned into ten vampires rushing at the two. They couldn't fight back. The two broke into a run with Kira lagging behind.

"Go!" she shouted to Connor. Connor stopped, not wanting to leave her. "Go!" she repeated. "I can teleport." It was half-true. She'd never tried it, but she believed she could. "Discanae!" Kira flickered and vanished. Connor turned and ran back toward the Hyperion. Half of him was wrought with concern for his witchly friend. Half-grateful that he had not left her behind. When he returned to the Hyperion Angel stood up.

"Where's Kira?"


	6. Chapter 6

If I owned the characters Angel would still be on the air.

Kira slowly regained consciousness. As her eyes focused they met a pair of blue ones above her own.

"Y' okay?"

Kira sat up slowly, brushing herself off. Her nose was bleeding. She brought her hand to her face to wipe it away but the stranger held out a handkerchief. She accepted it gratefully as he helped her to her feet. He wasn't a tall man, but certainly taller than Oz. He had dark curly brown hair and a bowling shirt topped by a brown leather jacket.

"Lost?" he asked. His voice seemed odd at first, but then Kira realized it was an Irish accent. She nodded slowly, still dizzy. "What day is it?" she asked. "Not sure," the man answered. "But it's about ten on a sunny November morning."

"November?" Kira remembered that when she had disappeared it was early October. "What year?" she asked weakly.

"1999."

1999. That meant that she'd traveled back five years. How?

"I'm sensin' some confusion, darlin'," the Irishman said. Kira nodded. "What year'd y' think it was?"

"2004," she answered. The man gaped. "Well," he said. "That's a ways off. I think y' need our help. Kira looked at him. "'Our'?" The man nodded.

"Yep 'our'. Angel Investigations."

"I can't believe you let her teleport," Angel said angrily. Kira had been gone for two hours and they hadn't heard a word about her since Connor's return. Oz was sitting in a somber silence, less talkative than usual.

"What was I supposed to do?" Connor asked. "Carry her?" Angel grunted and Oz looked at the floor. "Did you check back at the club?" Fred asked. Connor nodded.

"It was the first place I checked." Wesley paced a bit. "And you're sure she isn't anywhere else?" he asked. "No," Connor said.

"Her scent ends there," Angel added. "She teleported alright. We just don't know where to." Gunn spoke up. "Anyone know if she has other friends in LA?" he asked.

"Well she was talking to this guy tonight..." Connor began. "I don't know if there's anyone else." Oz pondered. "She has a book," he said. "A little black book with numbers and addresses. Maybe someone in there can help us." Connor raced up the stairs to Kira's room. In the month she'd lived there she'd certainly left her mark on the place. There were books on magick, books about vampires, scarves, beads. On her bed was a little black address book. Connor picked it up and went back downstairs.

Angel walked into his office and stared at Cordelia's desk. It was empty. She hadn't shown yet. Neither had Doyle for that matter. He reflected on his friends and heir usual witty banter that had echoed through the office these past months. Cordelia entered the office and started making coffee.

"Where's Doyle?" she asked. "Late as usual."

"But with a good reason this time," answered Doyle from the doorway, followed by a young girl. "I was out rescuin' this girl here who passed out down the street." Angel motioned to a chair and the girl sat down. Doyle went and sat next to her and Cordelia next to him.

"Says her name's Kira Calendar," Doyle said, "and that she's from 2004." Angel and Cordelia stared at her in shock. "Calendar?" Kira nodded. "As in Jenny?" Nod. "And you're from the future?" She nodded again.

"And we should believe you why?" Everyone turned toward Cordelia. "What?" she asked. "She could be lying." Kira stared. "Why would I lie about something like this?" she asked. "Who would tell a story like that?" Doyle quickly came to Cordelia's defense.

"Now I don't think Cordy meant anything by that." Cordelia turned. "Don't fight my battles," she said. "I so meant that."

Kira wasn't used to this side of Cordelia. She'd forgotten that in 1999 Cordelia was roughly the same age as Kira herself: eighteen.

"The Oracles," Kira said. Doyle turned pale. "What?" said Angel. "The Oracles," Kira repeated. "Take me to them." Cordelia looked confused.

"What are the Oracles?" she asked. Doyle looked shaken. "They're messengers from the Powers, Princess," he said. "How'd you know?" Kira sighted. "I told you, I'm from the future. Please," she pleaded. "I need to know why I'm here." Angel looked perplexed.

"Hold on just a minute," he said. "Why don't you just tell us what happened." Kira took a breath. "Ok," she said.

She told them that she was a demon fighter who had been killing vampires since her mother had died a month earlier. She told them that she was a witch but left out the seer part. She claimed that she had read a book in her demon studies. She left out Doyle's eventual death, Cordelia's disappearance, the destruction of Sunnydale, Oz, Fred, Gunn, Wesley, and especially Connor. When she had finished Doyle let out a breath.

"Whew. Maybe we should take her to the Oracles." Angel nodded.

"Come on, darlin'," Doyle said. "Not sure it'll work, but it's worth a try."


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own anything from Mutant Enemy or the Angel franchise or anything like that.

An hour later they had fond nothing in Kira's address book. Just a bunch of eighteen year olds with no clue to Kira's whereabouts. They'd even tried Jamie, who'd been concerned, but hadn't a clue as to the witch's location. Finally they came across an initialed name: K. Angel dialed the number.

"Detective Lockley speaking." For a moment Angel stared at the phone dumbfounded. "Hello?" Kate said. "It this a prank?" Angel replied, "Kate?" Kate's voice turned to surprise. "Angel? How did you get this number?" Kate sounded how Angel felt.

"Kira," he said. "I got it from Kira. She's missing." On the other end Kate's blood ran cold. She hadn't seen Angel in years but in the last month she'd developed a soft spot for Kira. "I'll be right there."

Twenty minutes later Kate Lockley entered the Hyperion. Angel walked over to greet her and there was an awkward moment as if they might hug. They chose not to and shook hands. Everyone else waved in greeting or said "Hi." Oz walked over to Kate.

"Do you know anything that could help?" he asked. Kate shook her head. "You Oz?" she asked. He nodded. "Kira told me about you. Sadly I don't know where she is. I do want to help, though." Angel nodded.

"Kira didn't leave us many clues," he said. "Except for this book." He held it out for her to see. She took it and slowly turned the pages. "Most of the people in there are teenagers or occult supply stores," Wesley said. "You were the first number in a whole new section." Kate stopped him.

"Did you guys see this address below mine?" she asked. Angel shook his head. "It says SOS," Connor said looking at it. "We should check it out. Angel, Kate, and Wesley left the Hyperion in search of the location. It was a newly built apartment complex. Angel and Wesley looked at each other and then at the site. It was where their first office had been before it had been destroyed so long ago. The door was open and the walked up to the apartment listed in the book. Angel knocked hesitantly, and then looked shocked as the door opened. It was opened by Cordelia Chase.

Under the rickety old post office was a stone platform with a bowl on top. Doyle took out a lighter and lit the contents of the bowl saying, "We beseech access to the knowing ones." Immediately a portal opened, filling the room with blue light.

"They'll let you in," Doyle said. "You'd best go." Kira entered warily. Immediately she was in a room filled with cold light and white marble. The Oracles looked like the Greek gods of old, but gold.

"Lower being," the male said, "have you a gift?" Kira thought for a moment, then tossed a jade dragon from around her neck. "What do you wish to learn?" asked the female. "Why am I here?" was Kira's answer. "Yes," said the female. "You are out of your time."

"And I want to know why." The male smirked at her. "You ask the wrong questions," he said. "Go" The female stopped him. "There is one of this time who is gone in yours." Kira looked confused. The female continued. "His sacrifice alters the timeline wrongly." Kira's look turned to puzzled realization.

"Doyle." The female did not answer, but spoke again. "The messenger must not make his sacrifice. The timeline must be changed. You have been chosen because only you can correct the wroing." Kira was dumbfounded.

"You want me to prevent Doyle's death?" The Oracle nodded. "How?"

"That is for you to decide for yourself."

Doyle looked up as Kira was thrust out of the portal. He caught the younger girl as she reeled backward on her feet.

"Well?" he asked. "Find what you needed?"

"Cordy?"

Angel was frozen in shock. Cordelia seemed only slightly less surprised to see them. "Come in," she said and they did. She motioned for them to sit down and they did rather shakily, for even Kate had learned of Cordelia's death. Cordelia sat on a chair facing the sofa, once occupied by Kira, now by Angel, Wesley, and Kate.

"So," she said. "So…I think I owe you an explanation."

"Hell yeah you do," Angel said. "Look," Cordelia said, "I'm sorry. I never meant for you to know I was here, okay? I'm supposed to be dead." Angel was dazed.

"Cordy, we buried you a month ago." Cordelia looked as if she was searching for the right words.

"I'm tired," she said. " The Powers gave me a time to go and I'm taking it. I just can't go on like this. That's why Kira was sent to you." Wesley stopped her. "But she's missing." He said. Now it was Cordelia's turn to look surprised. "What?" And then the vision hit her.

She saw Kira disappear in 2004 and reappear in 1999. She saw Doyle, alive and well, for the first time in years. She saw Kira's visit to the Oracles. When she saw the look on Kira's face she knew.

"Oh God."

Back at Angel Investigations Kira sat down in the office. "I'm supposed to change time," she said. "I've been sent to save a man's life." Angel looked confused. "Anything more specific?" Kira shook her head. "I can tell you one thing," she said. "I lied." Doyle looked at her sympathetically and Cordelia gave her a "Duh" look.

"I'm not an independent demon fighter," Kira said. "I work for Angel Investigations." Apparently no one had expected that. "Y' mean," Doyle said in a rather odd voice," "Y' mean y' work wit' us?" Kira nodded. "And this man," Angel questioned, "is someone we fail to save?" Nod. "And how are we supposed to believe you?" Cordelia asked.

"'Cause she's got nothin' to lose," Doyle answered. For the second time that day Kira told her story, this time adding her employment to Angel and her conversation with the Oracles, leaving Doyle out entirely. Angel decided that Kira would need a place to stay and Cordelia offered her place. Doyle, somewhat gallantly, offered to take the couch, both to guard the girls and because he was on the run from someone.


	8. Chapter 8

If I owned the damn franchise do you think I'd be writing this story?

"Kira's changing the past?" Kate asked. Cordelia nodded. "How is that so bad?" They were walking to Angel's car to return to the Hyperion. Cordelia turned.

"Changing past equals changing future. Anything Kira does in the past that was different from how we did it automatically changes the future."

"And how do we stop it?" Wesley asked. "Search me," Cordelia replied. "That's why we're going to the post office."

"So what's the future of our little company like?" Cordelia asked. Kira grinned. "You know I can't reveal too much. I've messed up the timeline enough just by being here." Cordelia nodded.

"I know, but it'd be nice to know anyway." She was interrupted by a muffled crash coming from the bathroom and Doyle's quick shout of pain. "Damn it! Cordy, y' got any aspirin?" Cordelia sighed.

"In the medicine cabinet. Why? Did you have a vision?" Doyle's muffled reply answered. "No, your makeup kit fell on my head." Kira laughed but Cordelia looked exasperated. "Did anything fall out?"

"No," was Doyle's reply as he came out. Cordelia went into the bathroom and, after checking that nothing was broken, closed the door. Kira and Doyle sat in the living room as an ice pack floated out of the kitchen.

"Thanks, Dennis," Doyle said gratefully, placing it on his head. He turned to Kira. "So is life always this action packed in your time?" Kira answered truthfully.

"Well this exact incident has never happened, but similar ones, maybe." Doyle grinned. "You're holding back," he said. "I can tell." He looked toward the bathroom door and sighed.

"You like her," Kira said. "Don't you?" Doyle nodded. "Is it that obvious?" Kira nodded. Cordelia exited the bathroom with an annoyed look on her face.

"Doyle next time you stay here, please don't leave my bathroom looking like your apartment."

"Would that be an invitation, darlin'" Doyle asked cheekily. Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"You wish."

Practically mimicking Kira's steps five years earlier the four descended the rickety steps below the post office. The podium and bowl were still there. Lighting the contents Angel said, "We beseech access to the knowing ones." The gate appeared in a flash of blinding light. Looking at each other for a moment Angel and Cordelia entered the portal.

"We were expecting you," said the female Oracle.

"Well duh," Cordelia said. "It was you who sent me my vision." Angel looked confused. "But I thought you were dead." Cordelia shook her head.

"They're ubiquitous," she said. "They're in both times at the same time. Time does not exist here." Slightly taken aback at Cordelia using the word "ubiquitous" Angel understood and posed another question.

"Why is Kira changing the past?" The male Oracle chose to answer. "Because it is her destiny." The female Oracle chose to be less vague. "She was sent to correct a wrong in the timeline she was sent to." At that moment Cordelia got another vision. She saw the horror that was Doyle's death in reverse, then faced the Oracles.

"She's going to stop Doyle from dying." The Oracles nodded and with a flash of blinding light the two were flung back to their own plane right into Kate and Wesley.

"So," Angel said. "Wonder what's going to happen."

Kira tossed and turned on the air mattress in Cordelia's bedroom. She glanced at the clock: 3:45 AM. Great. She didn't have much longer. The Scourge could come any day and she still had to figure out how to tell them. How to stop them from making the same mistakes twice. She got up and walked to the kitchen, passing Doyle's sleeping form on the sofa. Pausing to figure out where Cordelia kept her water glasses she found one right in front of her.

"Thanks, Dennis," she whispered. When she walked back through the living room she was surprised by a voice.

"You know Angel needs t' start givin' lessons in stealth." So Doyle was awake after all. He motioned for Kira to sit on the sofa next to him.

"Somethin's coming, isn't it?" he asked. Kira was about to answer when he did it for her. "Don't tell me, I'm not supposed t' know. I can tell though. The look on your face after seein' the Oracles. That and what Angel said the Mohra demon sayin'. Somethin's coming, and it's big." Kira nodded.

"Does Cordy know about my demon half?" he asked suddenly. Kira looked at him oddly. "Doyle, she's known about it for five years," she said. "She'll find out soon." Doyle nodded.

"It's hard, y' know," he said. "You bein' here knowin' all the things I want to know." Kira nodded.

"Wish I could tell you."

The next day came sooner than anyone could've guessed. Kira rose before anyone else and crept out to make coffee. The dripping noise soon roused Doyle who grunted and murmured "Swear to god, man, I don't have your money!" Next came a less than cheerful Cordelia who gratefully accepted the coffee and shoved Doyle over so she could sit on the sofa.

"Any clue as t' when you need to save this guy you're meant to save?" asked Doyle. Kira shook her head. "Not even a hint?" Cordelia asked. She still shook her head. "We should head over to the office," Doyle said. "Try to work out a game plan." The girls agreed and half an hour later they were on the street walking toward the office.

"I still don't think a promotional video's gonna work," Doyle said to Cordelia. "Angel's not the type to want that much publicity." Kira looked confused. "Huh?"

"Cordy wanted to make a commercial so that people in trouble would know where to find us," Doyle said. Cordelia elbowed him. "Well you didn't like the idea of finding evil for him to fight ourselves!" Doyle turned on her.

"Look, I just said that I didn't think Angel putting on tights would bring us some publicity. Besides, it's a disturbing image!" Kira nodded in agreement. "Besides," Doyle continued. "He had it bad enough turning human and havin' to give up Buffy and all that." He immediately regretted what he said.

"What?" Cordelia asked in shock as they entered the building. Doyle motioned for the two girls to sit down. He explained that Angel had gone to the Oracles and had the day taken back. He explained the sacrifice he had made to save Buffy. When he was finished Cordelia just sat there.

"Angel started the day over knowing he'd remember everything that happened?" she said. "Wow," Kira said. "They never told me that." Doyle nodded. "That's pretty amazing, huh?" Cordelia nodded.

"Uh, amazing that he didn't check the stock quotes or the lotto numbers," she said. "Angel should have told us what happened. We can't keep secrets from each other." Uh oh, Kira thought. Here comes the secrets talk. Those are never good. But strangely Doyle seemed to agree with her.

"No we can't," he said picking up a napkin for her. Kira grinned. Doyle and Cordelia, she thought. They need a chance. Doyle continued. "You know I've been doing a lot of thinking about secrets and what not. I know my marriage would have stood a better chance if me and Harriet really just - talked more, really let each other in."

"So how is she?" Cordelia asked. "You two keeping in touch?"

"She's decided to stay in LA."

"Oh," Cordelia said, her voice tinged with a bit of jealousy. "So, you'll probably be seeing a lot of each other then."

"Well, not right away," Doyle said quickly. "We both need to get on with our lives."

"Getting on is good."

"Yeah," he said looking at her. "Because if I want a relationship that's going to last, I need to put a few cards on the table." Cordelia smiled at him.

"Such as...?"

The thing of it is," Doyle said. "I'm a little bit more then meets the..."

Then the vision hit, but not just Doyle. His held his head as the splitting pain wracked through his skull. It hit Kira with such surprise that she fell down the stairs, writhing in pain. Cordelia looked at the two of them helplessly, but at Kira with shock. When the visions subsided Doyle stared at Kira with a look of understanding. Cordelia looked as if she were about to say something to Kira but Doyle silenced her with a look.

"We got a problem."


	9. Chapter 9

I own nothing that involves BtVS, Angel, or anything like that. Thank you and read.

It was later that night and Angel had gone off to be Mr. Undercover to find out exactly what the Scourge was up to. Kira went over the last several hours in her head. The entire day was playing as if it were on fast forward. Since her vision Doyle had been acting rather odd. He'd hardly let her out of his sight for one thing. When they asked her how she had the visions she said that she was a gypsy seer. The Oracles hadn't given her much to go on for a plan to save Doyle and she was quickly running out of time. Besides, once she saved him she didn't know how she was going to get back to her own time, or even if her reality would still be there. Her day had been one of her most confusing. She hadn't gone with Angel and Doyle to seek out the Listers, but had been left with Cordelia. That conversation had been interesting. Kira had never in her life heard that much talk about a man Cordelia supposedly had no feelings for. She figured out that at least now they would have a chance if Doyle lived. At least now they would know...if Kira succeeded. Her thoughts were interrupted by Doyle tapping her on the shoulder. She had almost forgotten he was there, or what they were doing. One of the Listers, Rieff, had run off and Doyle had gone off to get him, bringing Kira with him. Kira now realized that Doyle had been shooting strange looks at her all day. She decided to take her mind off visions with talk of Cordelia.

"So," she began rather awkwardly. "She doesn't know, does she?" At Doyle's questioning look she elaborated. "Cordelia. She doesn't know you're half Brachen demon." Doyle shook his head. "And you think she'd reject you if you told her." He looked at her incredulously, but nodded. "Do you love her?" Doyle almost looked exasperated.

"Come on, you know me in the future. Why don't you figure it out?" Kira thought quickly. "Well you know I can't tell you your future, but I just wanted to state what's obvious every time you look at her." Before Doyle could respond to that he spotted Rieff and they ran to catch up with him.

"Rieff! Wait. Wait." Panting, the two caught up with him. "You're fast," Doyle said. Rieff shook his head. "I'm walking. You're just old." In any other situation Kira would've laughed out loud, but now she remained quiet. Doyle looked a bit miffed by the "old" comment but didn't deny it.

"Yeah, okay. You know what, we ought to go. Angel's got a way out, a ship." Rieff kept walking.

"Great," he said sarcastically. "Have fun. Take some Dramamine." Doyle kept following.

"You're not coming with?" Rieff kept on walking.

"You can't make me." At that Doyle stopped, holding Kira back.

"You're right. You're old enough. It's your choice." At the word "choice" Rieff stopped.

"Right," he said walking toward Doyle and Kira. "A choice. Where do I want to be hated? You wouldn't get it," he said to Kira. To Doyle he said, "And you? You're passing. My mother was the same way. You can walk down the street. She took me out with her one day. I was so excited. Just out in the neighborhood with all the other kids. Guess what day it was?" Doyle sighed and Rieff looked at him angrily. "What day was it?" Doyle sighed and looked at the ground.

"It was Halloween," Kira said softly. Rieff laughed to himself bitterly.

"So that's my choice: I can be hated by humans because their scared of me, or by pure-bloods who want to kill me. It's so easy; it's not much of a choice." Doyle still wasn't giving up.

""Seems to me your family is one place where you know you belong." Rieff turned and walked off. Doyle called to him. "Hey, I bet you that little girl is going to miss you."

"Yeah, well, she's dead by now," Rieff said, stopping. "Or might as well be. They're coming again. I can feel it."

"It's going to be different this time," Doyle said.

"Why?" Rieff said sarcastically. "Because your friend is the promised one?" Doyle sighed. "So you know it's not true."

"No," Doyle said. "I don't. I don't know anything about your people's myths and legends. But I do know Angel, and he's the genuine article."

"My hero."

"Yeah," Doyle said, "that's exactly what he is. And your people can call him 'the promised one' or the 'dark avenger', what does it matter?"

"It matters because it's a lie!" Rieff exclaimed angrily.

"They put their faith in something, Rieff. You don't have to if you don't want to. Maybe Angel doesn't know what he's doing. It's possible. But the other option: losing yourself somewhere, hoping it all goes away, I know that never works." Rieff swallowed. "How about we go find your family?"

Doyle, Rieff, and Kira ran back toward the boat. It had been a close call. Angel had tricked the Scourge into believing he was one of them by pretending to kill Doyle. The ruse had worked, and they'd been able to get away. On the Quintessa Cordelia was waiting for them with a not too pleased look on her face.

"What?" Doyle said at her expression. "You're alive," she replied. Doyle looked confused.

"And you're not happy?" Cordelia looked less than amused. "Oh," Doyle continued. "Well it's all goin' t' be okay." At that moment Cordelia slapped him in the face. Kira stifled a giggle.

"What was that for?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were half-demon?" Cordelia asked. "I thought we agreed that secrets are bad!" Doyle looked ashamed.

"I wanted t' tell you," he said. "I was afraid. I thought that if I did you'd reject me."

"I've rejected you way before now! So you're half-demon. Big whoop! I can't believe you'd think I care about that!" she said. "I mean I work for a VAMPIRE! Hello?" Doyle sputtered.

"It's true. I just..." Cordelia cut him off. "What do you think I am?" she asked. "Superficial? So you're half-demon. That's so far down the list, way under short and poor. Is there anything else I should know?" Doyle shrugged. Kira nudged him.

"Told you so," she said. So this is how the scene would've played out if she hadn't come. At that moment a vision hit her, but no one noticed but her. She saw flashes of Doyle's life up to that point. His talking to Cordelia and Angel. His encounter with the Brachen Lucas. Mixed with these sights were sights of horror. The Beacon, time slowly passing until that fateful kiss she was meant to stop. She saw the jump, and Doyle, a hero to the last, deactivating the Beacon. Doyle's voice brought her back to reality.

"The half-demon thing is pretty much my big secret."

"Good," Cordelia said. "That's over. It's done. Would you-" But before she could finish Angel came driving toward them on a motorcycle.

"We have to shove off now!" he said. "What's going on?" Cordelia asked. "I can't!" the captain said. "I can't find my first mate."

"You won't," Angel replied. "We're going. Get to the bridge." Doyle looked past his friend.

"Angel, they're here." Angel looked back. "Angel," Doyle said.

"Get below," Angel said. "Lock the doors."

"What?" Kira asked. Kira looked at him and he looked as pale and scared as she felt. They all did.

"Move!" Angel yelled. "Now! Stay with the others." And they did.

Doyle ran to the hold yelling: "Lock the doors. The Scourge is here. We're shoving off. We're gonna make it!" Kira and Cordelia dashed to the other side repeating the order. Everyone looked up as Angel crashed through the door with a soldier. After Angel killed him Doyle looked up and, seeing the Beacon, tried a door.

"Ahh!" he cried in anguish. "They're locked from the outside. We're trapped!" Kira, Cordelia, and Doyle climbed up to Angel.

"What does that thing do?" Doyle asked, pointing at the Beacon. Kira knew.

"Its light kills anything with human blood," Angel answered. Doyle looked at the Beacon concernedly.

"Well it's gettin' brighter and that doohickey..." His voice trailed off. "It's fully armed, isn't it?" Angel nodded.

"Almost. If I pull the cable I think I can still shut it off." Doyle paled.

"How're you gonna do that without touching the light?" he asked.

"Angel," Cordelia said, "it's suicide." Doyle looked grim and Kira looked close to tears, but for another reason.

"There's gotta be another way." Angel put a hand on Doyle's shoulder and a look of realization that made Kira sick dawned on the Irishman's face.

"The good fight, yeah?" he said. "Never know until you've been tested? I get that now." And with a move that shocked everyone but Kira, Doyle punched Angel into the crowd below. Before she could say a word Doyle walked over to Kira and simply said "I know." A single tear slid down Kira's cheek as she realized what she needed to do. Doyle turned to reach for Cordelia, but before he could deliver the life-altering kiss Kira shoved him into the crowd beneath them. When Cordelia turned to say something Kira shoved her off too, trying to ignore the crack that came with her fall. Kira grabbed an axe that she had been carrying and, with all her strength, jumped to the Beacon.

It was a pain unlike any she had ever felt and immediately she raised a magickal barrier to shield herself. As the others watched below in horror Kira slashed and hacked at the seemingly unbreakable cable with hands growing more blistered and raw with the heat. The pain was too much and she screamed as she delivered the final blow that severed the cable. Unable to hold on any longer Kira fell. When she hit the ground Angel and Doyle rushed to her, Angel carrying an unconscious Cordelia. Kira looked at them through her tears. She looked at Doyle.

"Did I save you?" she asked. He nodded. "Then I changed it." And with that she died. Before anyone could touch her the body simply vanished as if it had never been. Weary and deeply shaken by his intimate brush with death, Doyle motioned to the girl in Angel's arms.

"She needs to see a Doctor."

At the nearest hospital Angel and Doyle were outside the door while Cordelia was examined by the doctor. Quite uncharacteristically Angel was the one seated while Doyle was pacing back and forth. He was reflecting on Kira's sacrifice, overwhelmed with guilt. He tried to put his hands in his pockets, but found himself unable to. There he found a video. It was recognizable as the one Cordelia had used for the commercial. HE was about to alert Angel of its presence when the doctor exited the room.

"Mr. Angel? Mr. Doyle?" The two were at the doctor's side in moments.

"Miss Chase," the doctor said, "has three bruised ribs and a cracked ulna." Doyle was impatient.

"When can we see her?" The doctor looked understandingly at him.

"One of you can go in." Angel nudged Doyle forward and the doctor nodded in consent.

Doyle entered the room slowly, looking at Cordelia's lovely face, marred by bruises.

"Doyle?"

"Hey Princess," he said. "Y' feelin' alright?" Cordelia nodded slowly.

"Where's Kira?" Doyle looked rather grim.

"She died," he said sadly. "She destroyed the Beacon and saved us all." Cordelia was confused.

"Who was she meant to save?" Doyle's features were overwhelmed with guilt.

"Me." Cordelia was shocked.

"You were going to jump, weren't you?" she said. "Sacrifice yourself?" Doyle nodded. Desperate to change the subject he looked at her.

"What were you going to ask me before?" he asked. "When y' found out I'm half-demon." For a brief moment a flicker of emotion went through Cordelia's face. It was as if Doyle could see the real Cordelia Chase; full of emotion and worry and fear. Then she went blank again.

"Nothing." Angel entered breaking the silence that followed. So strange how one word could shatter two hopes in an instant. They hadn't heard Angel come in and were both thinking thoughts of regret. The vampire cleared his throat.

"I spoke to the doctor," he said. "He said that we could bring Cordy home tomorrow." Doyle remembered something suddenly.

"Angel man, Kira left this in my pocket. Wonder what it's for." Angel shrugged. Doyle walked over to the hospital TV and popped the tape in the VCR. Immediately Kira's face popped up.

"Hey," she said. "I'm sorry for keeping you guys in the dark and all, but it had to be done. Doyle," she said rather pointedly, "don't be mad. It was my destiny and there was nothing for me in that other world." Her voice broke as she continued. "Angel, fight the good fight. Doyle, live. Live like you were meant to, not hiding. Guys, it was great knowing you. Sorry to save the day and run, but the future begins now."

If you want to see what Kira saw in her vision I recommend copying this into your web browser thing (you'll need to remove the spaces first): www. settiai. com/ songvids/ ItsNotEasy. WMV It's not mine,I don't take credit for it, but it did give me inspiration for that part of the story. Thanks Settiai for letting me use


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story that won't leave my head.

Angel blinked as he removed his mug of blood from the desk and took a sip. It was a slow night for Angel Investigations. Doyle hadn't had a vision for a few days and things were looking to be almost, well, boring. Connor was doing well in school and his human parents believed that he was interning for Angel as a learning experience. Wesley was off in the kitchen locked in debate with Doyle about something or another. Fred and Gunn were returning from dispatching some demonic pest that an local amateur Wicca had accidentally conjured up. Lorne was in his room rehearsing for a lounge act at his club, Caritas. Cordelia was on a date with some producer from an audition she'd gone to the day before. That, Angel figured, was the reason Doyle was debating Wesley. In the close to five years the two men had worked together they had never exactly gotten along. From the groans coming from the kitchen Doyle must really not enjoy Wesley's company. The half-demon staggered into Angel's office carrying a bottle of aspirin in one hand and an empty scotch glass in the other.

"Girl," he gasped. "Alleyway. 'Bout three blocks from here."

About three blocks away at a rather expensive restaurant sat Cordelia Chase, and she was dead bored. It wasn't that Julian wasn't rich or handsome; he was both. And it wasn't that he was boring or lacked charm; he wasn't, he didn't. It was the fact that he had those qualities that bored her. All Cordelia could think about was what her friends would think if they saw her making nice with this rich ass. As these thoughts went through her head she was a flash of sweeping black leather followed by a nondescript sweep which was then followed by a sweep of brown leather. Cordelia looked up from her fois gras to the sight of Doyle standing on the sidewalk. He walked over out of breath and spoke.

"Cordy, we got a case. Angel needs all of us on board. Now." Cordelia nodded and turned to her date. "Gotta go," she said. "Duty calls." Thanking God for deciding to wear flats she rushed off after the half-demon. In truth she felt bad about leaving Julian there without an explanation, but saving people from demons didn't sound like a good enough excuse. She finally caught up to Doyle and Wesley in an alleyway separating two nice apartment complexes. Giving Doyle a questioning look he pointed around a corner where the unmistakable sounds of a fight were coming from. It soon became Cordelia's turn to point when a gang of vampires appeared behind Doyle and Wesley. They turned and the fight immediately grew in intensity. Doyle tossed Cordelia a crossbow and switched to his demon from giving him added strength. Wesley took on two with a couple of well-planned stakes to the heart while Cordelia dispatched one with the crossbow. By the time Angel had come out of his fight the party had really gotten started. Within minutes the gang of vampires was no more. Dole, still in demon form, sniffed the air.

"Smell that?" he asked Angel, reverting back to his human half. Angel nodded. Doyle walked toward a dumpster about twenty feet away and started to move it back. He was startled by a shove backward as the small figure darted like a bat out of Hell straight into Angel. Slowly she looked up into his face and a look of pure terror crossed her features.

"Angelus," she breathed before she collapsed backward into Cordelia.

Back at the Hyperion Angel Investigations surrounded the girl who was out cold on a sofa. They'd determined that she was in no real danger, she just had a few scrapes and bruises.

"Who is she?" Wesley wondered.

"Kiranna C. Osbourne, age eighteen. 5'2, 120 pounds, and she's an organ donor."

Everyone turned toward Cordelia who held up a driver's license. "What?" she said. "Her wallet fell out of her...oh God..." Angel walked over to see what had made Cordelia react. It was a photograph of a woman about twenty-seven with what looked like Kiranna at age ten.

"Aunt Jenny and Kira, December 1997," Angel read.

"So that's what the 'C' stands for, said Cordelia. "Calendar."

"She's a gypsy," Doyle added. "Or half, anyway." The half-gypsy on the couch suddenly began to stir. Slowly her eyes opened, then turned wide with fear at the people surrounding her. It didn't help that Lorne was Pylean or that Doyle chose that moment to sneeze and display his demon face. She sat up quickly and peered at them suspiciously.

"Angelus," she said coldly. "Happy now? Happy that you've almost stamped us all out? You killed her," she said. "Without mercy, without pity. Didn't even feed off her either. Just snapped her neck like she was garbage." The others just stood there not saying anything. Cordelia realized that someone had to say something and, being Cordelia, she spoke.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" Kiranna shook her head.

"Look Kiranna," Wesley began.

"Kira," said the girl. "No one calls me 'Kiranna.'"

"Kira," he began again. "Do you want somewhere to stay?" Kira looked at him incredulously.

"Do you REALLY think I would want to stay in the lair of a VAMPIRE who is responsible for the destruction of my FAMILY!" Connor chose that moment to walk in.

"So what's going on?" Everyone turned and Lorne chose to answer.

"Well kiddo," he said, "this girl is one of the gypsies that got pissed off at Angelcakes back in the day. Doyle over there had a vision and we went to save her. She's kinda got the wrong idea of your dad..." He trailed off there at Kira's look.

"'Dad'?" she asked. "Angel has a SON?"

"Long story darlin'," Doyle said. "The kid's human and Angel here's on a path to redemption."

"Redemption?" Kira asked. "For a vampire?" Doyle nodded. "So you won't kill me?" Angel nodded.

"Where's your family?" Kira looked at the floor.

"I lived with my mom," she said. "My dad and stepmom died two years ago in a car accident. My brother due to reasons of his own left California four years ago and hasn't been seen since." Her eyes held a spark of fire as she continued. "The vamps at my building tonight killed every living thing they could. They fed off my mom. I ran out the fire escape and hid behind a dumpster. They were looking for me when you found me." Wesley repeated his previous question.

"Do you want to stay here?"

"Fight with us," Fred chimed in.

"We're Angel Investigations," Cordelia added. "We help the hopeless."

Kira nodded.

Three hours later Kira stared at the ceiling. She was comfortable enough in the room Connor had shown her to. Before anything, however, Lorne had asked her to sing so he could read her. She complied, delivering a rather nice rendition of Sarah McLachlan's "Adia". Lorne had given her an odd look.

"You're a witch," he said. "Aren't you honey?" She'd nodded and Lorne had turned to Angel. "She's clean." Clean. She didn't feel too clean. She felt guilty for running when her mother had been killed before her very eyes. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Unlocking it with telekinesis she called: "Come in." It was that guy...Connor. She sat up and turned her light on.

"Hey," he said. "Long day?" Kira nodded wearily. Connor gave Kira a searching look as if he knew what she was thinking. "You shouldn't feel guilty," he said. "It's not your fault your mother died. It's theirs." Kira gave a small smile.

"How'd you guess?" Connor grinned.

"I've felt my share of guilt," he said. "Besides I've learned from the master." Kira smiled a bit more.

"Why are you all being so nice to me?" she asked.

"You heard Cordelia," Connor replied. "We help people."

At this time Cordelia was sitting in the kitchen drinking tea. It'd been a long night. Doyle walked in and went over to the cabinet, taking out a bottle of scotch.

"Your date call?" he asked. Cordelia shook her head. "No matter," Doyle continued. "I don't think he was as good-looking as the last one. Producer, huh? He's certainly got money." Cordelia looked a bit mad.

"Five years of knowing me and that's all you think about me? That that's all I want?" she asked angrily. "Screw it. I'm going home." And with that she left, walking past a confused Angel. Doyle just sat there, calmly drinking his scotch.

"Cordy left in a hurry," Angel observed. Doyle nodded. "She looked a bit angry." Doyle nodded again. "What did you say to her?"

"Nothin'," Doyle answered innocently. Angel sighed.

"Doyle, It's obvious you're crazy about her and I happen to know for a fact that she loves you. Why doesn't one of you just do something?" Doyle ignored his friend, continuing to drink. When he swallowed the last drop he spoke.

"Angel, I don't think she's ready," he said. "Or that I'm ready. Angel man, I just can't." Angel nodded.

"At least you have a reason."

Doyle walked up to his room. He'd kept his apartment for at least two years after the business had moved to the Hyperion, but after the fifth fumigation he'd decided to move to the hotel. Cordelia had kept her place, however, and was happily keeping house with Phantom Dennis. Doyle took out his key and unlocked the door. He'd taken most of the furnishings from his old place and it wasn't much different with the exception of a distinct lack of roaches, a TV, and plumbing that actually worked.

Jesus, what was he doing here? He should be going after her. Telling her he's sorry. Something, anything to show her how he really felt. It had all gone downhill after the incident five years earlier that had almost claimed his life until Ki-

His eyes shot open and he looked down the hall where Kira slept. He thought of the pale, frightened girl; the same red hair and green-tinted dark eyes that had laughed and joked with him that brief period five years ago. He remembered the look in her eyes when she realized her fate. Doyle ran down the stairs like a bullet out of a gun toward Angel's office.

"It's her!" he gasped. "Kira's the girl from five years ago!" Angel nodded.

"I know."


	11. Chapter 11

Hurrah. For the first time in a while someone reviewed...incentive is always nice...

See all disclaimers everywhere. Unless Joss Whedon has been writing on no one here owns anything!

Doyle looked at his friend in shock.

"Then why didn't y'say somethin'?" he asked. Angel was about to answer when the phone rang. "Angel Investigations," Doyle answered. "We hope you're helpless."

"It's her!" Cordelia shouted through the earpiece. "Kira's the girl from the Quintessa!" Doyle sighed.

"I just came t' that conclusion myself, Cordy," he said. "And Angel with his elephantine memory already knew that." Cordelia sounded a little put out.

"Okay," she said. "Well, bye then." And with that she hung up. Doyle placed down the receiver gingerly. Cordelia was usually harsh with people because that was her nature. But the way she'd been treating him lately was almost cruel. Turning his mind back to the matter at hand Doyle looked at his employer questioningly.

"So do we tell them?" he asked. Angel shook his head.

"I don't think it'd be wise. What Kira did primarily affected you, Cordelia, and me. There's no reason we should tell them." Doyle nodded and angel spoke again. "I'll tell Cordy the plan. I think you two have fought enough for one night."

"The next morning came with Cordelia arriving bright and early to make coffee. She believed that she and only she should make coffee since it had been her task since the beginning. One by one the sleepy members of Angel Investigations appeared. Typically Wesley was the first to arrive in the morning, and he did like clockwork. He walked over to the coffee pot and grabbed a mug. It was a common joke that Wesley's English upbringing made him physically incapable of making decent coffee for himself, so his cup at the office was always his first of the day. About twenty minutes later Fred descended, followed by Gunn several minutes later. By nine Kira and Connor had come down and Angel had sat down on the sofa. At noon Doyle stumbled down and grabbed a mug of coffee sinking into a chair. Cordelia wouldn't look at him. Great, he thought, another thing to brighten his day.

"Angel," Kira said, " I'd like to fight with you." Angel looked at her questioningly. "I want to fight evil," she said. "I want to join you." Angel looked at Connor.

"Hey," the boy said raising his hands. "She made up her mind on her own." Angel looked at Kira.

"Ok," he said. "You need to learn how to fight first." Connor stepped forward.

"I can teach her." At that moment Doyle had a vision. He saw a pair of small children in a daycare center, then a flash and they were gone. After he'd taken a couple of painkillers he spoke.

"Two kids. Brother and sister. Somethin's after 'em."

"Where?" Fred asked.

"Daycare down the street," Doyle answered. "And we'd better hurry."

At the Mary-Anne Harvey Child-Care Center there were children playing with blocks, children playing house, with dolls, etc. Amy and Robbie Markham were sitting alone, doing nothing. Their backs were against the bookcase and no one looked at them. Mary-Anne Harvey walked over to the children smiling.

"Now go along and play," she said. They didn't move. She shook her head and, after patting them both on the head, walked away. The two continued to sit, each staring at the other and slowly, without warning, the children vanished.

"Are you sure this is the right door?" Cordelia asked. Doyle looked at his friend exasperatedly. This was the fifth door they had come to. The Powers That be had given him a block, but no address. He looked at the sign on the door: "Mary-Anne Harvey Child Care Center."

"Yes Cordelia, this is the right door." He knocked. When the door opened it a familiar face looked back at him. Kate Lockley looked out at the trio, for Kira had joined them for her first case.

"You know, I was considering calling you," she said. "Who's the new girl?" she asked looking at Kira.

"Kira," the girl replied. "Kira Osbourne." Kate held out her hand in greeting.

"Kate Lockley." She turned to Doyle. "So I'm guessing you're here because of the kids?" Doyle looked at her in surprise. "Did you have a vision about kids?" Doyle nodded. Kate sighed. "This is our third call this week," she said. "Kids have been vanishing into thin air." Cordelia frowned.

"Well maybe they're just running away," she said. Kate shook her head.

"No. The kids are always about two, maybe three, and besides, it's unlikely that five two-year-olds would just run off."

"Is the owner of the day care a suspect?" Kira asked.

"No," Kate replied. "Each time a child vanishes she's been seen by the staff playing with the others. She just checked on them and about two seconds later they were gone." Cordelia had a thought.

"Were these kids popular?" The half-demon, the half-gypsy, and the cop looked at her like she was nuts. "No, really," she said. "In Sunnydale there was this girl who was so unpopular she actually turned invisible." Kate looked confused.

"Could she still talk?" Cordelia nodded. "Then that's not what happened here," Kate said. "We've called for these kids. They're just gone." Kira peered around Kate at the scene inside.

"Well," Doyle said, "maybe we should talk to the lady who runs th' place. See if she noticed anyt'ing."

"It's just terrible," said Mary-Anne Harvey. Kira was taking down everything on a piece of paper.

"And it's not the first time?" she asked. Ms. Harvey shook her head.

"No," she practically wailed. "And it's always the quiet ones, too." Kira's eyes narrowed.

"Huh?" Ms. Harvey peered at her in a way that sent chills down Kira's spine.

"The quiet ones," she repeated in a sugary voice. "The ones who don't quite belong." Kira nodded.

"Thank you for your time, Ms. Harvey."

"I hate to be all Greg Sanders here but I swear she did it." The trio was walking back toward the Hyperion and Kira was telling Doyle and Cordelia about her conversation with the overly perky Ms. Harvey.

"Pardon me askin'," Doyle said, "but who's Greg Sanders?" Kira looked at him oddly.

"CSI? DNA guy played by Eric Szmanda?" Blank looks all around. "Okay," Kira explained. "He's sorta the newbie, and not everyone takes him that seriously. But I'm telling you, this woman. It's like she's cotton candy: all light and fluffy on the outside, but sickeningly sweet on the inside." Cordelia looked at the...newbie as Kira referred to herself.

"Nice analogy."

"Thanks.


	12. Chapter 12

Hurrah. For the first time in a while someone reviewed...incentive is always nice...

See all disclaimers everywhere. Unless Joss Whedon has been writing on no one here owns anything!

Doyle looked at his friend in shock.

"Then why didn't y'say somethin'?" he asked. Angel was about to answer when the phone rang. "Angel Investigations," Doyle answered. "We hope you're helpless."

"It's her!" Cordelia shouted through the earpiece. "Kira's the girl from the Quintessa!" Doyle sighed.

"I just came t' that conclusion myself, Cordy," he said. "And Angel with his elephantine memory already knew that." Cordelia sounded a little put out.

"Okay," she said. "Well, bye then." And with that she hung up. Doyle placed down the receiver gingerly. Cordelia was usually harsh with people because that was her nature. But the way she'd been treating him lately was almost cruel. Turning his mind back to the matter at hand Doyle looked at his employer questioningly.

"So do we tell them?" he asked. Angel shook his head.

"I don't think it'd be wise. What Kira did primarily affected you, Cordelia, and me. There's no reason we should tell them." Doyle nodded and angel spoke again. "I'll tell Cordy the plan. I think you two have fought enough for one night."

"The next morning came with Cordelia arriving bright and early to make coffee. She believed that she and only she should make coffee since it had been her task since the beginning. One by one the sleepy members of Angel Investigations appeared. Typically Wesley was the first to arrive in the morning, and he did like clockwork. He walked over to the coffee pot and grabbed a mug. It was a common joke that Wesley's English upbringing made him physically incapable of making decent coffee for himself, so his cup at the office was always his first of the day. About twenty minutes later Fred descended, followed by Gunn several minutes later. By nine Kira and Connor had come down and Angel had sat down on the sofa. At noon Doyle stumbled down and grabbed a mug of coffee sinking into a chair. Cordelia wouldn't look at him. Great, he thought, another thing to brighten his day.

"Angel," Kira said, " I'd like to fight with you." Angel looked at her questioningly. "I want to fight evil," she said. "I want to join you." Angel looked at Connor.

"Hey," the boy said raising his hands. "She made up her mind on her own." Angel looked at Kira.

"Ok," he said. "You need to learn how to fight first." Connor stepped forward.

"I can teach her." At that moment Doyle had a vision. He saw a pair of small children in a daycare center, then a flash and they were gone. After he'd taken a couple of painkillers he spoke.

"Two kids. Brother and sister. Somethin's after 'em."

"Where?" Fred asked.

"Daycare down the street," Doyle answered. "And we'd better hurry."

At the Mary-Anne Harvey Child-Care Center there were children playing with blocks, children playing house, with dolls, etc. Amy and Robbie Markham were sitting alone, doing nothing. Their backs were against the bookcase and no one looked at them. Mary-Anne Harvey walked over to the children smiling.

"Now go along and play," she said. They didn't move. She shook her head and, after patting them both on the head, walked away. The two continued to sit, each staring at the other and slowly, without warning, the children vanished.

"Are you sure this is the right door?" Cordelia asked. Doyle looked at his friend exasperatedly. This was the fifth door they had come to. The Powers That be had given him a block, but no address. He looked at the sign on the door: "Mary-Anne Harvey Child Care Center."

"Yes Cordelia, this is the right door." He knocked. When the door opened it a familiar face looked back at him. Kate Lockley looked out at the trio, for Kira had joined them for her first case.

"You know, I was considering calling you," she said. "Who's the new girl?" she asked looking at Kira.

"Kira," the girl replied. "Kira Osbourne." Kate held out her hand in greeting.

"Kate Lockley." She turned to Doyle. "So I'm guessing you're here because of the kids?" Doyle looked at her in surprise. "Did you have a vision about kids?" Doyle nodded. Kate sighed. "This is our third call this week," she said. "Kids have been vanishing into thin air." Cordelia frowned.

"Well maybe they're just running away," she said. Kate shook her head.

"No. The kids are always about two, maybe three, and besides, it's unlikely that five two-year-olds would just run off."

"Is the owner of the day care a suspect?" Kira asked.

"No," Kate replied. "Each time a child vanishes she's been seen by the staff playing with the others. She just checked on them and about two seconds later they were gone." Cordelia had a thought.

"Were these kids popular?" The half-demon, the half-gypsy, and the cop looked at her like she was nuts. "No, really," she said. "In Sunnydale there was this girl who was so unpopular she actually turned invisible." Kate looked confused.

"Could she still talk?" Cordelia nodded. "Then that's not what happened here," Kate said. "We've called for these kids. They're just gone." Kira peered around Kate at the scene inside.

"Well," Doyle said, "maybe we should talk to the lady who runs th' place. See if she noticed anyt'ing."

"It's just terrible," said Mary-Anne Harvey. Kira was taking down everything on a piece of paper.

"And it's not the first time?" she asked. Ms. Harvey shook her head.

"No," she practically wailed. "And it's always the quiet ones, too." Kira's eyes narrowed.

"Huh?" Ms. Harvey peered at her in a way that sent chills down Kira's spine.

"The quiet ones," she repeated in a sugary voice. "The ones who don't quite belong." Kira nodded.

"Thank you for your time, Ms. Harvey."

"I hate to be all Greg Sanders here but I swear she did it." The trio was walking back toward the Hyperion and Kira was telling Doyle and Cordelia about her conversation with the overly perky Ms. Harvey.

"Pardon me askin'," Doyle said, "but who's Greg Sanders?" Kira looked at him oddly.

"CSI? DNA guy played by Eric Szmandza?" Blank looks all around. "Okay," Kira explained. "He's sorta the newbie, and not everyone takes him that seriously. But I'm telling you, this woman. It's like she's cotton candy: all light and fluffy on the outside, but sickeningly sweet on the inside." Cordelia looked at the...newbie as Kira referred to herself.

"Nice analogy."

"Thanks.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: It belongs to Joss Whedon. Dur. RIP Glenn Quinn. Today was his 35th birthday. He died almost 3 years ago.

A man was running. It was sunset and he was dashing as fast as he could through the alleyways of LA. Whoever was chasing him was hot on his tail. He hit a dead end, cursing himself inwardly. The sun set, and a powerful change swept over him. The last thing he saw as the moon rose was a rifle pointed at his head.

"Nice doggie. Now play dead."

"But why do you have to go?" Kira asked.

"Because I don't have anything left for me," Oz said. IT was 2000 and Oz had returned from Sunnydale to visit his sister one last time before he had to leave. Fourteen-year-old Kira wasn't so pleased about this.

"Well you could stayin LA!" she said pleadingly. "Work for Angel." Oz smiled sadly.

"Angel's got enough on his plate without a werewolf in the office," he said. "Sorry kid. I need to find a place for myself somewhere else. Just remember: you're the only real family I've got. If anything happens I'll come for you. Always." Kira was crying and failing at hiding it. Oz took something out of his pocket. It was a necklace: small, circular pendant with interesting designs.

"Here," he said. "I brought this from Tibet for you." He put it on her. "There. It'll protect you from any major magicks." He wiped away his sister's tears. "Now I've gotta go." Kira nodded. Hours after he left she was still fingering the necklace, staring at it.

"Kira, are you listening?" Wesley asked. She hadn't been. She'd been staring at her necklace.

"Huh?" Wesley rolled his eyes.

"I said Kate gave us a rather interesting case. A man was flayed alive last night and one of his teeth was removed."

"You think it was a cult thing?" Fred asked. "Flaying someone and removing a tooth on the full moon?" Angel shook his head.

"Kate said he was shot first." Kira looked up suddenly.

"What was the bullet made of?" she asked. Everyone turned to look at her.

"Kate didn't know," Angel said. "They're still checking that out. Why?" Kira dashed to the computer and a minute later came up with something.

"Bounty hunter," she said. "Hunts werewolves. The pelts are prized in Sri Lanka." Now tht looks increased. "What?" she asked. "I study." Angel laughed.

"Okay," he said. "Kate still hasn't ID'd the body so we'd best look out for our bounty hunter. Any ideas where?"

"We should search nightclubs, bars, places where there's a lot of sexual tension," Kira said. Everyone looked at her. "What?" she said. "Werewolves dig that."

Kira walked inside the Urban Underground and headed straight for the bar.

"Shirley Temple," she said.

"Hey," said a voice behind her. It was Connor.

"Hey," she replied.

"On a case?" he asked. Kira nodded.

"There's a bounty hunter killing werewolves," she said. "I'm scoping out places werewolves frequent." Connor nodded.

"Strange," he said. "No one told me." Kira shrugged.

"Angel figured you were with your parents this weekend." Connor nodded.

"Yeah but that got cance..." He trailed off at the look on Kira's facer. When the band had started playing she went a shade of pale. She turned slowly and saw a painfully familiar sight. The band was a few twentysomethings with a witty taste in a band name.

"It's them," Kira breathed.

"Huh?" Connor said. Kira ignored him. Her eyes fixed on the lead guitarist. His hair had grown. Four years had aged him. Did he see her? He could probably smell her. Did he see her? Yes, he did. For a split second their eyes locked and a flash of recognition came over his face.

"Hello?" came Connor's voice out of the whirl that was Kira's mind. "What's up?" Kira turned and sipped her drink.

"Nothing," she replied. "Nothing." At the end of the set Connor tapped Kira's shoulder.

"Hey," he said. "Vamp alert. Headed for the exit." Kira turned to the direction of his gaze. Sure enough, a number of vampires were cajoling a couple of idiot teenage girls to leave with them. Kira and Connor followed them out to the alley. They attacked with sheer force of surprise, each taking two. Connor's two were slightly smarter and ran after their prey while Kira used magick and set one of hers on fire. Before she could utter the incantation for the second he had grabbed her by the throat and was holding her against the wall. He moved her head aside and was about to sink his fangs into her neck when he exploded in a shower of dust. Kira coughed and sputtered, grateful for air. She looked up at her rescuer and began, "Thanks Con-" when she stopped. It wasn't Connor who had saved her. It was Oz.

Kira hugged Oz as tightly as she could.

"Oh my god," she said. "I've never been so happy to seen anyone in my entire life." Oz grinned.

"Like the set?" he asked. Kira nodded.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Not that I'm not happy to see you but..."

"Well," Oz began, "I came back to-" Just then Connor came back brushing dust off his t-shirt.

"I got 'em," he said. "Who's this?" Oz extended his hand.

"Oz."

"Connor," the nineteen year-old replied. "You a friend of Kira's?" Kira smiled.

"A little closer than that," she said. "He's kinda my brother."

"Half," Oz said.

"We should go back to the Hyperion," Kira said. "We never did find that bounty hunter." Oz looked at Kira, surprised.

"Cain?" he asked. "He's here?"

The trio entered the hotel on quite a scene.

"It wouldn't kill you to at least look DECENT when we're on a case!" Cordelia yelled. "That's the sixteenth time someone's asked you if you were my PIMP!" Doyle was equally angry.

"Well it didn't help that you were givin' the eye to each guy like you wanted t'pick 'em up!" he shouted back from the other side of the room.

"Well if you're so jealous," Cordelia retorted, "why don't you DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!" The usually mild Doyle was really getting worked up.

"I never said I was jealous," he said. "I only said y'shouldn't go paradin' about like a hooker!" He stopped short. "I take it back," he said. "Cordy, I didn't mean it." It was too late, she'd already left in a huff. "Great," Doyle said. "Just great." He stalked off to his room, passing Fred and Gunn on the stairs.

"What was that?" Kira asked. Gunn grinned.

"I'm guessing the tension between Cordy and Doyle's finally surfacing," he replied. "'Bout time too." Fred noticed Oz.

"Who's your friend?" Oz stepped forward.

"Daniel Osbourne," he said. "But I'm called-"

"Oz." Angel had come downstairs. "Osbourne," he said. "I should've guessed. You're related to Kira." Oz nodded.

"He's my half-brother," Kira said.

"And that's how you knew about werewolves?" Kira nodded. Connor, Fred, and Gunn looked confused.

"Oz is a werewolf," came Wesley's voice from Angel's office. "Though I think I'm right in saying you've been partially cured?" Oz nodded.

"I'm the reason the hunter's here though," he said. "He's been tracking me since I left Tibet."

"Where can we find Cain?" Kira asked. Oz shrugged.

"I dunno. I don't know how to get rid of him either."

"I spoke to Kate," Angel said, "and told her about the flaying and what caused it. She said that if he kept the tooth as a trophy they could get him for murder." A voice rang out from the doorway, cold and hard.

"It ain't murder to kill and animal."

It was Cain.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Okay I'd really like to get some reviews but I'm not gonna stop posting because I think this is an interesting spin.

Cain walked in slowly.

"You're a hard wolf to catch, Osbourne," he said. "I knew I'd find you sooner or later. All I had to do was find another Osbourne." He gestured at Kira. "Oh, but I got another one too. Just some poor sap who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

The hair on the back of Oz's neck began to rise. His eyes grew large and black, but nothing more happened. Cain continued to advance while Angel Investigations stood wary. Suddenly Cain grabbed Kira and held a knife to her throat till a drop of blood showed.

"See that Osbourne," he said. "Makes you just want to lunge, either to save her or to rip her pretty throat out."

Two things happened at that moment. One was Doyle jumping from the stairs at Cain in demon stance as Cain was backing toward the door. The other was Oz transforming and almost decapitating Doyle while Angel attempted to stare him down in vamp face. Wesley crept up behind the Oz-wolf with a large paperweight and knocked him out. Doyle had managed to knock out Cain just by landing on him. He helped Kira to her feet.

"Y'okay?" he asked. She nodded and went over to her lycanthropic brother. She knelt down and stroked his head. Turning to Angel she spoke.

"If you've got chains put them on him. When he wakes up someone should give him his clothes." With that she walked upstairs. Gunn founds some chains and locked Oz up in a spare room. Angel and Connor took Cain to Connor's car and headed off to the police station. Doyle retreated to his room.

Kate not only managed to get Cain locked up for murder but for assault on Kira as well. When the two returned they all went and earned some decent sleep. The next day Cordelia came in and made her usual pot of coffee. Fred and Gunn were the next to appear and relayed the night's events. Then came Connor who had slept at the hotel followed by Angel a few minutes later. When Kira awoke she went to check on Oz. She found him sleeping peacefully with some of Connor's old clothes for him to borrow. Next she went to see how Doyle was doing after the blowout with Cordelia.

Cordelia looked up from her morning Cosmo as a distraught Kira came running down the stairs.

"Doyle's gone."

Now if anyone wants to know what happened to Doyle please review. Who knows, I could kill him...


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: This is the first chapter I've actually typed up in FOREVER. Like three years. So go me! Anyway, I don't even know if my original readers are still out there, or even remembered this story, so I'm starting fresh. Here's what anyone reading this should know. I started this story originally in 2003. It then sat in my head for a bit longer and I started writing it and posting chapters on this lovely website. Then life (and those pesky creatures called boys and hormones) got in the way. Probably TMI. But anyway, this is a story five years in the making. It won't leave my head, and I've actually grown rather fond of it. So because I left my actual Angel DVD's in my boyfriend's apartment, I am left to relive the Joss-verse (not the 'Verse Browncoats) the way I wrote it in high school. I hope you've gotten this far and read it. I hope you like it. And feel free to comment on the pros and cons because I love comments. Thanks for listening--Sare K.

P.S. I KNOW I completely stole the scrying bit from Charmed, but seriously. Same network. Magic...You get the idea. Call it my deus ex machina.

Disclaimer: Yadda yadda yadda. Joss owns it all. RIP Glenn Quinn...you guys know the drill.

"You're sure there's no sign of him?"

It was three hours later and they were at the end of Doyle's little black book.

"Okay," Angel said. "We know he's probably in a bar. We also know he could be anywhere because he has my car." Everyone was sitting in the lobby looking subdued. Suddenly Kira jumped up.

"I could scry for him!"

"Huh?" Cordelia looked confused.

"Scrying," Kira explained. "It's an old witchy way of locating lost ones. Helps if there's a demonic or witchly element." She looked around. "I'll need a map and a personal item." Cordelia got to her feet.

"I can get you those.

Ten minutes later Kira and Cordelia were sitting cross-legged on the floor of Doyle's room with a map of the West Coast spread out below them. Fred, Gunn, Oz, and Wesley had split up to look in Doyle's usual haunts. Angel was checking leads and Connor was in class.

"So will this really find him?" Cordelia asked. Kira nodded.

"It should," she replied. "So why haven't you told him?" Cordelia turned to look at the younger girl.

"Told him what?" Kira rolled her eyes.

"Tell him how you really feel," she said in frustration. Cordelia looked at the floor.

"I don't know," she said finally. "I guess I've been waiting for him to make the first move." Kira snorted.

"Cordelia, the Dark Ages are over. Women can ask men out too you know." Cordy shrugged.

"Let's just get this scrying thing over with."

Kira nodded. They had found a cross on Doyle's dresser. Muttering a few choice words Kira swung the cross by its chain over the map. After a second it swung likd a magnet to a specific location.

"Okay," Kira said. "He's just South of Vegas. If I teleport I can bring back Doyle and the car." Cordy shook her head.

"Those are some heavy duty magicks you're messing with," she said. "You sure you're up to it?" Kira nodded.

"If I do it right I'll only need to do it once." Taking some herbes and powders from a pouch she tossed them at ehrself and, holding the cross, said, "Discaenae."

And with that, Kira was gone.

"Look, I'm tellin' you I haven't seen him!" said Willy the Snitch. Gunn shoved him harder up against the wall. "I thought my truth and justice problems were over with the move to L.A.". Fred stepped forward, looking as menacing as she could.

"Sorry to burst your bubble Willy," she said. "But they're not. So where's Doyle?" Willy walked over and resumed cleaning the bar.

"I dunno:" he said. "I've only seen him here a couple of times. He's usually lookin' for information." Gunn held up his axe.

"If you're lying to us, you're gonna be sorry you ever left the Hellmouth."

Angel had just left one of L.A.'s seedier bars without any luck. Reluctantly he reached for his cell phone and dialed.

"Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless," came Cordelia's falsely cheerful greeting.

"Cordy, it's me," said Angel. "Any luck?" Cordelia's voice fell.

"We found a location, but Kira teleported there and hasn't come back yet."

"She teleported?" Angel asked.

"I told her not to," Cordy said defensively.

"Those are some pretty powerful magicks," Angel said. "They'll knock her out, I can tell you that."

"Hey kiddo, you okay?"

Kira came awake slowly. In front of her was a rather odd-looking demon. His skin hung in folds, almost like a dog without the fur.

"Wow," he said. "I haven't seen a teleportation like that since Willow Rosenberg went nuts and nearly caused the apocalypse." Kira looked at the creature in front of her incredulously.

"You know Willow?" The demon nodded.

"Yep," he said. "know all of the Slayer's friends. I'm an old Sunnydale resident. Name's Clem." He held out a claw and Kira shook it.

"Kira Osbourne," she said warily.

"No need for alarm," Clem said. "I don't kill humans. I'm not really on the side of darkness. Just call me Mr. Sidelines."

Kira laughed, then her mind returned to her mission. She looked at her surroundings. she was in a rather dusty parking lot in front of a shockingly nice demon bar. And there was Angel's car. Not too skillfully parked, but otherwise unharmed.

"Need some help?" Clem asked.

"Yeah, in fact," replied Kira. "Seen a man in there? About early thirties, with dark hair and blue-green eyes?" Clem shrugged.

"Not many humans come by here," he said.

"Oh," Kira said. "He's not entirely human. Half-Brachen actually." Clem's eyes lit up.

"I know your guy. Irish?"

"Yeah."

"He's passed out in the corner." Kira nearly hugged him.

"Thank you so much," she said. And with that she ventured into the demon bar.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

The interior of the bar matched its exterior in shabby cleanliness. Kira entered it warily, aware of the eyes upon her.

"Hey sweetcakes," said he bartender, "we don't serve humans. 'Specially kids. Even we got standards." Kira spoted Doyle slumped in a corner and gestured toward him.

"I'm not drinking," she said. "I'm picking up." The bartender nodded.

"You gonna pay his tab or wash his dishes?" Kira nodded.

"I can pay," Kira said. "Got anything that can sober him up in four hours?" The bartender nodded. He took a flask and poured some disgusting-looking liquid into it.

"On the house." Kira paid the bill.

"Doyle?" she said, shaking the unconcious Irishman. He stirred.

"Kira?" he said belarily. "How'd y' get here?" Kira grinned.

"Forget that. I'm taking you back to L.A."

* * *

"Angel?" Oz asked. "Hey man."

"Hey," Angel responded. "You guys should come back to the hotel now." Oz sensed that there was something Angel wasn't telling him.

"Kira find Doyle yet?"

"No," Angel replied. "She's teleported to his location and we haven't seen her since.

Doyle awoke to the blinding pain of a hangover about two hours later.

"Ah Hell," he muttered. "Got any aspirin?" Kira handed him the flask the bartender had given her.

"According to the bartender it should put you right by the time we hit LA." Doyle winced as he took a swig.

"Now that's disgustin'!" he said Kira laughed.

"Hey," she said, "that's not nearly as bad as what Cordy's gonna give to you when we get back." Doyle looked surprised.

"She was worried?" Kira nodded.

"Hell yeah she was worried," she said. "Doyle, she's in love with you." Doyle snorted.

"Doubtful." Kira slammed on the brakes.

"Are you blind?" she asked. "All that girl is waiting for is for you to put a move on her!" Doyle looked at her incredulously.

"I have been!" he retorted. "Since th' day I met her but all it's been is what's wrong wit' me." Kira calmed.

"Doyle, just don't give her a chance to talk."

* * *

Angel Investigations had officially given up. After Fred and Gunn had let Willy the Snitch Oz and Wesley had gone to chat with him as well. They had exhausted Doyle's little black book, not to mention the many seedy bars LA had to offer. Cordelia had waited by the phone all day in case Kira would call, but there was no sign of her either.

"Hey all," came Lorne's cheery voice as he walked in. "What's the adventure today?" Everyone turned to stare at him. Cordelia turned without a word and walked upstairs.

"What's up with the little ray of sunshine?" Lorne asked.

"Doyle's disappeared," said Angel.

"And Kira went missing trying to find him," Fred continued, "in Angel's car."

"Now that sucks," came a voice from the door. It was Kira, followed by a very sober Doyle. Kira handed Angel his keys.

"Sorry 'bout that," said Doyle. "Had some inner demons to work out if y'll pardon the pun." Angel nodded.

"Well," Doyle said, "did I miss anything?" Everyone glared

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'll be goin' up now."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Really you guys, if I owned this then I definitely wouldn't be a girl, I wouldn't be writing on FanFiction, I'd be putting Angel back on the air.

Doyle opened the door of his room and was nearly clocked on the head by one of his own shoes. He turned to look at who had thrown it.

"Cordy, wha-?" he began but she cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it," she said angrily. "First you act like I'm your 'princess' and you really like me then you go all cold and it's like you don't care except when I'm dating someone, and then you seem to care a lot." She was gathering steam with each syllable. "And then you go off and tell me I dressed like a HOOKER! I mean what am I supposed to do? Just go la de da when you disappear into thin-"

Then it was Cordelia's turn to be cut off because Doyle had walked over to her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly. He looked at her for a split second before placing his lips on her and kissing her with all the built-up tension he'd bottled up since the day he met her. When he let her go she looked at him and in another split second a sort of confirmation seemed to pass between them. This time Cordelia reached him and kissed him back and the kiss deepened until the two were left gasping for air.

"Tha' shoulda happened a long time ago."

* * *

Kira exited her bathroom in her pajamas after a much needed shower. She walked over to the dresser and started to brush out her hair. A noise at the window made her spin around.

"Sorry," Connor said as he climbed through the window. Kira exhaled.

"You know there's this great invention called the door," she said. "You might want to try it sometime." Connor laughed.

"I just didn't anyone to see me, that's all."

"Except me?"

"Except you."

Kira sat down on her bed and motioned for Connor to sit next to her.

"Well I think they finally got together," she said finally.

"Who?"

"Doyle and Cordelia, who else?"

"Oh."

There was a pause.

"Connor?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing here?"

Connor hesitated before speaking.

"Well," he said, "it's just that I don't usually have anyone to talk to about my demonic past and all, you know? I can't tell any of my friends at school and that sucks and all, but in the month you've been here you've opened me up. It's like I can tell you anything, and I want to."

Kira looked puzzled.

"There's something you want to tell me?" Connor nodded.

"Now?"

Nod.

"What is it?"

Without warning he leaned in and kissed her. Kira opened her eyes when he finally let her go and looked at him quizzically. Connor just laughed and kissed her again. This time she kissed him back and they just sat there kissing like they had all the time in the world.

* * *

Six doors down Doyle and Cordelia sat on Doyle's bed with no real chance of coming up for air any time soon. When they finally did their clothes were rumpled and their hair was mussed, but there were smiles evident on their faces.

"That definitely shoulda happened a long time ago," Doyle repeated. He gently pushed Cordelia's hair out of her face and kissed her forehead.

"Will you ask me out to dinner already?" Cordelia asked playfully. At first Doyle grinned but at that moment a flood of memories of another time, another world hit them. He saw a younger version of himself had been given the same chance and had lost it rather painfully. He shook off the vision and grinned at the girl in front of him.

"Cordelia, would y'like you have dinner with me?"

And so I finally achieved my goal that I originally set out to achieve, I brought one of my two favorite people in the Angelverse together. Hurrah. I promise you it's not just gonna be about them, it's gonna be about everyone.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: All these characters belong to the writing genius known as Joss Whedon yadda yadda yadda. Oh, and since there's been some question as to the title of this story, in the beginning of the show it was "We help the hopeless", I know that they changed it but I kept it that way to signify the changes I made. Hope that clears it up.

It had been a slow week for Angel Investigations. Oz had found a few gigs for the newly reunited Dingoes Ate My Baby and was currently rehearsing. Angel was having a nice brood in his office while Wesley was in a heated trans-Atlantic discussion with Giles about some text or another. Fred and Gunn were off working on a case while Doyle and Cordelia were busy fighting...er...discussing as usual. Kira wandered downstairs with a copy of A History of Modern Witchcraft in one hand and a sandwich in the other. She sat comfortably at the front desk, awaiting the daily boredom of phone duty. Much to her surprise, the phone rang.

"Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless."

"Hi, it's Kate," came the detective's voice from the other end. "Are any of you guys available to scope a crime scene?"

Kira looked toward Angel's office. Hmm...she thought. A day case might not be so good for the vampire.

"I'm available," she said. "What kind of crime scene?"

Ten minutes later Kira got out of a cab and walked toward an alley with police cars in front. Kate met her at the yellow tape and let her inside.

"I'm not too sure if this is a vampire killing," the detective said softly. "I wanted one of you to come and check."

"No problem." Kate led Kira over to a place back in the alley where the still form of a man lay under a sheet. Picking up the corner of the sheet Kate spoke.

"We still haven't ID'd him, but before the coroner gets a good look I wanted one of you to." Kira nodded and looked into the man's face. He wasn't even a man really, but a boy. He was about seventeen with curly dark hair. His gray eyes stared up at Kira as she looked at him. Kira's breath caught in her throat. Slowly all color drained from her face. Shakily she knelt down to see the wound on his neck. It was indeed a vampire bite, and it looked like the vampire had a party with him first. Slowly Kira rose to her feet.

"It's a vampire death," she whispered. "And his name's Will Campbell." Before Kate could question her she was cut off. "Here's the address," Kira said writing it down. "But don't go yet. Let me."

* * *

Without a word she left.

18 hours earlier...

The Urban Underground was rocking. Somehow the small club had managed to get ZOX to play, which was favorite of Kira's, and she'd dragged Connor along for the ride. While Connor went to get the drinks Kira sat and swayed in time with the violin. Suddenly a pair of hands went over her eyes and a low voice said: "Guess who?" Kira laughed.

"Connor?"

"Nope," came the voice.

"Will?" Immediately the younger guy moved around Kira's chair and sat down in front of her.

"So who's Connor?" Kira grinned and pointed toward the bar where Connor was returning with a couple of cokes.

"New boyfriend?" Kira nodded. "Nice." Connor came over handing Kira her drink and sitting next to her.

"Hey," he said. "Connor Reilly" Will shook his hand.

"Will Campbell." Glancing over Kira's head he frowned. "Uh oh." Kira turned to glance in the direction of Will's gaze.

"Jamie." Green eyes flashing Jamie Campbell walked over and sat next to his brother.

"Hey Kira," he said. "How's things? This the new boyfriend?" Will put a warning hand on his brother's arm.

"Cool it Jamie, now's not the time to make an ass of yourself." Jamie brushed Will's hand away.

"Chill little brother. Just making small talk." Connor stuck out his hand.

"Connor Reilly." Jamie shook it.

"Jamie Campbell. So I see we have something in common." Kira rolled her eyes.

"Shut it Jamie." Jamie laughed.

"What?" he said. "you don't want me to tell him about your sordid past?" Kira glared at him.

"Not particularly." Jamie smiled at her.

"Too bad." Will cut him off.

"Leave her alone Jamie, she's moved on. Why don't you?" Kira glared.

"Forget it," she said, rising. She and Connor left Will and Jamie where they sat.

* * *

Kira cautiously approached the apartment building. She took out the key that she was supposed to return and opened the front door. Waving hello to some people at their mailboxes she walked over to the elevator and pushed the up button. Entering she pushed the button for the seventh floor, trying to ignore the all too familiar elevator music.. When she reached the floor she walked almost automatically toward a familiar door. Hesitating, she knocked. A few seconds later the door opened.

"Kira?" Jamie looked confused, and a little hung over. "What are you doing here?" Kira swayed nervously on the spot.

"Can I come in?" Jamie nodded and moved aside. They walked into a simply furnished living room and sat across from one another.

"So what'd you want to talk about?" Jamie asked. Kira looked around helplessly.

"Did Will come home last night?" Jamie shook his head.

"Jamie, what happened after Connor and I left the club?" He looked at Kira suspiciously.

"Kira, what's going on?" Kira looked Jamie in the eyes, tears starting to form in her own.

"The police called the detective agency where I work today," she said shakily. "They wanted us to check out a crime scene that looked similar to one of our cases..." Her voice broke. "They found Will this morning. He's-he's dead." Jamie looked at Kira in disbelief.

"What?" Kira looked at him sadly, tears running down her face.

"I thought that you'd rather I tell you than the police. They're gonna be here soon." At that moment the door opened. In walked an attractive woman in her mid-forties. She took one look at the two in the living room and shook her head.

"Well, this is a surprisingly familiar sight." Kira wiped her eyes.

"Hi Ms. Campbell."

"Mom," Jamie asked, "is Andy with you?" His mother nodded.

"He's just coming upstairs with some groceries, why?" At that moment a large man with salt and pepper hair in his early fifties walked in. When he saw Kira he frowned.

"What's she doing here?" Kira looked at the floor.

"Hi Mr. Foster." Ms. Campbell started to unpack the groceries but Jamie stopped her.

"Mom, I think you and Andy should sit down." They sat down on the sofa where Jamie had previously sat, Jamie sitting next to Kira. Jamie spoke.

"Kira came over because her detective agency got a call from the police to look at a crime scene." Foster looked at Kira in disbelief.

"She works for a private investigator?" Jamie continued.

"The police found Will's body in an alley this morning. He's dead." Ms. Campbell broke down, almost making the floor shake with her sobs.

"I am so sorry," Kira said. Foster glared at her.

"I think you should leave," he said. Kira looked at him defiantly.

"I just thought I should be the one to tell you what happened." Foster gave her a look of absolute disgust and pointed toward the door.

"I think you've done enough damage. Just go."

Without another word Kira exited the apartment building. When she reached the end of the block she heard Jamie behind her and turned around.

"Wait," he said. "I'm sorry for what Andy said."

"It's no problem," Kira replied. "We knew he didn't like me." Jamie nodded.

"I think I can help you with your investigation," he said. "I got a good look at the girl Will left with."

"Follow me."

When Kira and Jamie entered the Hyperion they could hear the sounds of muffled shouting coming from the kitchen.

"He's a producer!" came Cordelia's angry voice. "He's SUPPOSED to flirt with me." Doyle's equally loud voice came in reply.

"Yeah? Well he's not supposed t' be THAT flirtatious!" Kira and Jamie walked toward the kitchen with amused looks on their faces.

"Well that doesn't mean you can-" There was a thump and the shouting abruptly stopped. When Jamie and Kira reached the kitchen they found Cordelia pressed up against the counter in what looked like a very passionate lip-lock with Doyle. After about two minutes Kira cleared her throat. Cordelia was so surprised that she knocked her head on the cabinet and Doyle practically tripped over her feet.

"Busy arguing?" asked Kira. Doyle nodded.

"Y' might say that." Kira grinned.

"Where does Angel keep the mug shots?"

"Why?" asked Cordelia. Kira pointed to Jamie.

"His brother was murdered yesterday and I'd like to know who did it." Doyle frowned.

"Is th' interest business or personal?"

"Personal."

"They're under the front desk."

An hour later they'd been through most of the more notorious vampire chicks of the last hundred years or so. Cordelia had even pulled out her Sunnydale High yearbook to see if Jamie recognized anyone. Nothing. They had exhausted all the mug shots.

"It's no use," Kira said. "She's probably a young vamp." Doyle and Cordelia nodded in agreement.

"Look," Jamie said, "there's gotta be a picture of that creepy woman somewhere." He picked up a random book on the desk. "I know I'd recognize her anywhere." At that moment a picture fell out of the book. It was a young woman with dark hair and enchanting eyes. She was dressed in the clothes of olden times but Jamie looked at her in shock.

"That's her." The others came to see. When Cordelia saw the picture she looked a little freaked.

"That's no ordinary vamp," she said. "That's Drusilla."

"Dru?" Everyone turned to see Angel emerging from his office. "So she's back in LA, huh?" Kira nodded.

"Apparently so." At that moment a booming voice came from above.

"Sweet Caroline, good times never seemed so good. I'd been inclined to believe they never would." Lorne was descending the stairs in all his flamboyantly green splendor. Kira heard a sharp inhalation and turned to see Jamie's look of shock and fear. Too late to hide demons now.

"How about Jamie and I go upstairs," she said, dragging her ex-boyfriend. "You guys concentrate on finding Dru, we'll be back."

And so they commenced on the research, within ten minutes Fred and Gunn were back and Wesley too had joined the research.

"So," Cordelia voiced aloud after a long silence. "Dru's back." Angel nodded.

"And you're not concerned?" Angel shook his head.

"I'm concerned alright. What I'm concerned about is the fact that Dru's our there in full force killing. Kate called me. Will Campbell had traces of blood in his mouth. Dru's not just killing. She's looking for a new playmate."

"Then what's to prevent the boy from rising again?" Wesley asked.

"Kate managed to convince his mother to cremate him as soon as possible. For now we're okay, but we need to find Dru, fast."


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who has given me good reviews. You've given me faith to continue this story after the REALLY long time it sat in my head.

Disclaimer: I'm a 20-year-old girl from the East Coast. Do I LOOK like Joss Whedon?

Jamie looked at Kira in shock.

"So they're all real? Demons and vampires and magick?" Kira nodded.

"All of it." Jamie looked disbelieving. They were sitting on Kira's bed. The room had dark curtains and colored scarves covered the lamps giving off a dim glow.

"Prove it," Jamie said. Kira looked at her ex-boyfriend incredulously.

"Your brother was found dead with teeth marks on his neck put there by a 144-year-old vampire and you need proof?" Jamie nodded.

"Call me Scully." Kira sighed. She concentrated hard on an unlit candle behind Jamie. slowly it rose above Jamie's head and came down at their eye level.

"Ignus incende," Kira said smugly. Instantly the wick of the candle shone with a merry flame, lighting up Jamie's astonished face. "It's all real," she said setting the cangle on her bedside table. "Demons, magick, ghosts, other dimensions. It's all real." Jamie nodded, taking it all in.

"But if all demons are bad," he asked, "then who was the green guy?" Kira laughed.

"That's Lorne," she said. "And not all demons are bad. Doyle's a demon...well, half-demon."

"The Irish guy?" Kira nodded.

"But where do you fit into all this?" Jamie asked. "I mean, I remember the witchcraft in high school, but I don't see you as the fighting evil type." Kira smiled sadly.

"That story began over a hundred years ago," she said. "About 250 years ago a vampire named Darla met a drunken Irishman on the streets of Galaway. She was looking for a lover so she turned him into one fo her kind. The two went on a rampage throughout Europe, leaving terror and death wherever they went. The man eventually was called 'Angelus'. The one with the face of an-"

"Angel," Jamie whispered. Kira nodded.

"In 1860 Angelus tormented a young English girl, eventually driving her insane On the day she was to become a nun he transformed her into what would be the vampire Drusilla."

"But isn't she-"

"Sh! About 20 years later Drusilla fed off a young man and he became her lover. that man was William the Bloody, also known as Spike. They were a family: Angelus and Darla, Spike and Drusilla. In 1898 the family went to Romania. there Darla gave Angel the gift of a young gypsy girl. Her people were so grieved that they gave Angelus the worst curse of all: his human soul. With his soul Angelus was simply Angel, who had no desire to kill anyone. Do you remember the Sunnydale disaster?" Jamie nodded.

"When the city was destroyed?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Kira. "You might recognize this part: fast-forward to 1997. In '97 a girl named Buffy Summers was expelled from Hemery High and moved to Sunnydale. An interesting tidbit is that Sunnydale was the Hellmouth. All sorts of demonic activity went on there. What made it all the more interesting is that Buffy was the Slayer..."

Doyle hung up the phone and turned to Cordelia.

"Any luck?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Nothing," she said. "You?" Doyle leaned back and put his feet on the desk.

"Nope. Maybe Angel'll have better luck with Kate." Cordeia nodded.

"I hope so," she said. She glanced upstairs. "Wonder how the kid took it." Doyle shrugged.

"He's still hre, so at least that's somethin'." At that moment the telephone rang

"Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless," came Cordelia's cheery greeting. "Oh," she said, handing the phone to Doyle. "It's for you." Doyle took his feet off the desk and sat up straight.

"Yeah?" he said into the phone. "Oh, hey Norm. Yeah, Drusilla...vampire, yeah. Hmmm..Brunette, kind of crazy with a British accent? Excellent . T'anks." He hung up the phone and practicaly twirled Cordelia around. "We got her!"

"Excellent." Kira and Jamie were descending the stairs. "Anyone know what we're gonna doin when we find her?" Doyle's smile faltered.

"See, that's the lousy part," he said. "Norm told me a place to go lookin', but not exactly how to find her." Just then Angel and Wesley walked in.

"No luck on our end," Angel said. "Kate can't find someone who doesn't technically exist and Fred and Gunn have nothing."

"We got a lead on Drusilla," Doyle said. "Santa Monica, by the old warehouses."

"What should I do?" asked Jamie.

"Go back to your dorm," Kira replied. Jamie looked angry.

"Like hell! She killed my brother for God's sake!" Kira looked him in the eye, which was a challenge considering he was a foot taller.

"You won't help us if you're dead," she said. "She killed nearly an entire generation of my family. I get it." Angel stopped her.

"When Fred and Gunn get back, we're going."

A/N: I'm sorry if the explanations were a little wordy in the Jamie/Kira scene. I actually cut about half of it. Hope you liked this chapter. If you have any questions, comments, etc., let me know in the review box! --Sare K.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: You know that legs turn to jelly feeling when you either get a REALLY good kiss or you see a REALLY good kiss? This chapter will give you known of those feelings, but I had to announce that the movie Penelope certainly will. James McAvoy is officially fantastic in my eyes. I don't think a movie has gotten to me that much since either Before Sunrise or The Notebook. So watch. Love. Oh yeah, the chapter...

Not my characters, except Kira, Jamie, yadda yadda.

* * *

At the Santa Monica pier they split up into pairs. Kira was the exception, choosing to follow Doyle and Cordelia. It was odd, she mused, watching them be silent for a change. She was so unused to the pair being deadly serious, but here it was. They searched through the shadows of the large, abandoned buildings, but no sign of Drusilla. Suddenly about five or six vampires fell upon them. Kira managed to get two with magick while Cordelia took on a couple herself. Doyle had gone into demon form to gain the upper hand on the vampireds. After all had been dusted Kira heard a noise. It sounded like a girlish giggle. Before Doyle or Cordelia could stop her she had vanished.

A couple of buildings away Fred and Gunn were having no luck in the Drusilla search. Having heard the fight they ran toward Doyle and Cordelia. Gunn was about to draw his crossbow when he ran smack dab into Wesley. They heard a good natured laugh behind them. There were Doyle and Cordelia, a little mussed, but right as rain.

"Where's Kira?" Angel asked. The pair's laughter turned to worry.

"She dodged into an alley," Cordelia said. Angel suddenly was on the alert.

"I hear something," he said. "Quickly!"

Kira was lost. She couldn't see Doyle or Cordelia anymore. Her cell phone wouldn't work among the warehouses. Suddenly she heard a giggle behind her.

"'Ello duck." It was Drusilla. The vampire raised her hand and beckoned with black and white nails to Kira.

"Come forward dear," she said. "I won't harm you." Kira backed away slowly, her stake at the ready.

"Wot?" said Drusilla slyly. "Cat got your tongue?" Kira raised her stake slowly.

"You murdered my family," she said, her voice shaking. "You killed my people. You told Angelus what Jenny was doing and he killed her. A look of recognition crossed Drusilla's mad eyes.

"Silly little gypsy," she said smiling. "The bad teacher had to go." She walked toward Kira slowly and looked down into the girl's eyes, taking Kira's dark ones in. "Gypsies always tasted so nice." Kira dropped her stake as Drusilla leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Especially when they're frightened." She heard the footsteps coming, heard Kira's anme shouted, but she didn't care. It was too late. Revealing her true face, she leaned in, like a viper ready to strike.

"Ah!" she cried out, followed by a hiss and the smell of burning flesh. Kira blinked and backed away. Drusilla looked at the large cross necklace on Kira's neck, then at the burn imprinted upon her flesh. Kira glanced up at her friends.

"You okay?" Gunn asked. Kira nodded. The group turned to face Angel as he stared down the vampire he had sired.

"Bad Daddy," Drusilla said, pouting. "Spoiling my fun." Angel walked toward her slowly.

"No more games Dru. Party's over, I'll see you in Hell." He lunged and she dodged. She punched and he punched back. She tried to run but the others blocked her escape. She was trapped. She went back into the form of an innocent child and walked toward her sire.

"Angel?" He raised the stake and was about to strike when a shout rang out.

"Ignus incende!"

In a flash Drusilla burst into flames. Kria dropped to the ground in a kind of shell shock. Fred knelt next to her.

"It's gonna be okay."

Kira didn't move the whole way back to the Hyperion. She sat like a statue between Fred and Gunn. When they reached the hotel Jamie got up from the front desk.

"Drusilla?" he asked.

"Dead as a doornail," Doyle replied. Kira walked dazed past them all and went to her room shutting the door. Jamie left soon after.

"'S gotta be hard," Doyle said.

"I hear ya," Gunn replied, sitting on the sofa. "I mean it's bad enough losing a sibling knowing about vamps, but think ohw the normal peole must feel."

Everyone nodded.

* * *

Up in her room Kira sat huddled on her bed. She got up and walked to her bookshelf. Looking though the various volumes of witchcraft and the occult she picked out one book. It wasn't really a book, but an album. Sitting on her bed she slowly opened it. On the first page were two pictures. The first was a pretty young woman with dark hair with her arm around a twelve-year-old girl in a park. There was laughter in their eyes as if there was some kind of wonderful joke. The caption read "Olivia & Kira, February 1998". The picture below was the same setting, of the same young girl, with a different woman. This woman was younger than the first, but with the same hair and eyes. She had her arm around the younger girl whose eyes were alive wiht laughter. The woman was smiling into the camera, but her eyes told a completely different story. They were filled with fear, pain, regret and guilt. They were haunting and held a feeling like she saw death coming. The caption read "Jenny and Kira, February 1998". The letters blurred as a tear fell on them. Slowly Kira turned the pages to other times: Jenny andKira in the park, her mother and Jenny in their house. She turned to two pages ahead and looked at the picture. It was a cemetery, taken from under a tree. The scene was of a funeral. Six people stood around the grave. A man in his forties, overcome with grief, a well-dressed girl with long, dark hair holding on to her boyfriend who looked rather awkward, a redheaded girl in a skirt and a sweater crying on the shoulder of her short boyfriend whose hair was beginning to grow out of its bleach. Standing next to the grieving man was a blonde girl, not crying, just standing there looking at the gravestone. Kira looked at the picture below. It was the gravestone, engraved very simply.

"Jennifer Calendar"


End file.
